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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25371418">Amestris High School</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemoncatfox/pseuds/Lemoncatfox'>Lemoncatfox</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, High School AU, Thats a lotta characters but it is a high school au so, there will be gore and violence later bc this is fma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:55:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>25,376</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25371418</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemoncatfox/pseuds/Lemoncatfox</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a high school au fer FMA! Some characters are teachers, some are students, and some don't attend high school at all but are still important</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, King Bradley/Mrs. Bradley, Lan Fan/Ling Yao, Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. First Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The Sins have names similar to their canon names.<br/>Lust, Lucy. Greed, Greg. Envy, Evan. Sampson, Sloth. Gabriel, Gluttony.<br/>Wrath and Pride are still King and Selim.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Edward and Alphonse Elric stood at the steps of Amestres High School. It was the first day of school, and they had different opinions of it.</p><p>Ed wasn't too excited about it, while Al was looking forward to seeing old teachers and classmates again.</p><p>The brothers were joined by their childhood best friend, Winry Rockbell.</p><p>She, like Al, was excited to start the year, a bright smile upon her face.</p><p>Ed loved that smile-- after all, he did have a crush on the girl, not that he'd ever admit it.</p><p>"C'mon guys, we're gonna be late." Winry said, slapping a hand on Ed's fake arm.</p><p>Al chuckled at Ed's annoyance to the blonde's insistence of going inside and attending class.</p><p>"Yeah yeah, I know." Ed said, rolling his golden eyes.</p><p>He practically ran up the stairs, while Winry called out after him, yelling at him not to run up stairs with his automail like that. She was still working on the design.</p><p>Not to mention the fact Ed was supposed to be helping Al up the stairs. The younger Elric was still having difficulty with stairs with his crutches, despite having them since he was around 10.</p><p> </p><p>Once they were in, they weren't able to stand for very long before the bell rang, and the crowd of students headed for first period.</p><p>The Golden Trio checked their schedules, and headed for first hour, Language Arts, taught by Roy Mustang.</p><p> </p><p>"Good Morning class, I'm Mr. Mustang." The teacher introduced himself. "Any questions?"</p><p>Ed raised his hand.</p><p>"Yes, Edward?" Mustang asked after checking the roll list.</p><p>"Like the horse?" The teen asked, causing the class to chuckle.</p><p>Mustang sighed. "I GUESS if that's what you want to think." </p><p>Ed leaned back in his chair, a wide smirk on his face.</p><p>Yep, this was gonna be a good year.</p><p> </p><p>Class went on as expected for the first day. They didn't do any school work for any classes, instead spending time introducing each other.</p><p> </p><p>Second hour was Mathematics, taught by Maria Ross.</p><p>While Ed found Mustang fun to mess with, Ross was not, capable of not getting into arguments with the 15 year old.</p><p>However there WAS something interesting with his second hour teacher; apparently the previous year's seniors had faked her death, blaming his previous teacher on the deed.</p><p>Ross had been on an unannounced sick leave, long enough for the seniors to spread rumors that Mustang and Ross had gotten into a fight, ending with Mustang burning Ross to death.</p><p>When she came back, she was surprised to see how the students acted like she had returned from the dead, and even her best friend Denny Brosh (sounds familiar…) ran into the room and hugged her for way too long.</p><p> </p><p>Ed would have to inquire Mustang about that tomorrow, or perhaps bother him after school.</p><p>But enough about that.</p><p> </p><p>3rd hour was Science Class, run by a quiet man, Shou Tucker. He had a daughter who was in the 5th grade named Nina, and a dog named Alexander.</p><p>His wife left him a few years ago, though none of the students knew why he felt the need to share that information.</p><p>They spent most of science talking about rather twisted branches of science, like chimeras. </p><p>He at one point even made a hypothetical situation of his own daughter being made into a Chimera with her faithful dog, which made the class a little bit uncomfortable. </p><p> </p><p>Social Studies was fourth hour. </p><p>Taught by King Bradley, a tall, gruff man. Some of the studies had heard rumors that he had tried to run for principal, only losing to Oliver Armstrong, older sister to Alex and Catherine Armstrong. While Alex sounded familiar, Catharine did not.</p><p>The man need not say anything, as no one dared speak.</p><p>Well, no one but 5 similar looking children spread throughout the classroom.</p><p>"Now, children." Bradley finally spoke, quieting down the 5 speakers.</p><p>"My name is Mr. Bradley. I will be your Social Studies teacher this year. You will all be expected to-"</p><p>The man was cut off by the door suddenly opening, and a small child, who looked to be around 10, entered. He had black eyes, matching his black hair. The boy was wearing a gray suit and tie, making him pretty professional for his young age.</p><p>He looked around and frowned, fiddling with his sleeves as he refused to make eye contact with the teacher.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, but Lucy left me behind after I wandered off… it was my own fault." </p><p>Bradley bent down, before patting the messy black hair of the child to almost everyone's surprise.</p><p>"It's alright, Selim. Now go sit in my chair behind the desk." Bradley instructed, gesturing to the chair the child was already running to.</p><p>"Now, for those of you who are wondering what is going on, allow me to explain. See, some of the members of this classroom are actually my younger brothers and sister."</p><p>"Lucy, Greg, Evan, Samuel, and Gabriel."</p><p>Bradley gestured to each sibling as their name was said.</p><p>"That one back there," he said, gesturing to Selim, who was playing some sort of video game, briefly looking up and waving as he was mentioned, "is my youngest brother, Selim."</p><p>Bradley began to pace in front of the class, causing Ed to sigh. It's literally the first day of school. He doesn't have time to listen to these people's sad backstory.</p><p>But, alas, the man continues.</p><p>"Now, Selim's school doesn't start til next week, and since no one is home to take care of him, Lucy brings him here and he attends her classes with her."</p><p>A teenager unfamiliar to Ed raised his hand, his long black hair in a ponytail. Ed was pretty sure the teen wasn't wearing a shirt.</p><p>Once he was called on, Ed learned that the teens name was Ling.</p><p>Ling's question was about Bradley's parents. Where exactly were they that they couldn't take care of their 10 year old until school started?</p><p>Bradley paused, exhaling before speaking again.</p><p>"My parents? Well, it's a little complicated. All you need to know is that I'm basically their parent now." Bradley chuckled, and Ling looked confused. How that was funny was lost on him.</p><p> </p><p>5th hour was Arts, and after how long last hour felt, Ed was feeling tired of school already.</p><p>He stared at Winry, who was at her desk, passed out, a hoodie placed on top of her.</p><p>Everyone knew Winry helped her grandmother (and parents, back when they were alive) with the family business, the making and fitting of automail.</p><p>When Winry fell asleep, no one bothered to wake her as they (correctly) assumed she had been up all night working on design elements.</p><p>Ed's attention to his orphaned best friend was quickly stolen by the two teachers. Namely the fact they were HUGE, and BUFF, and wore… gorilla and lion hoodies?</p><p>"Good morning class. I'm Mr. Henkiel." The lion hoodie wearing man said. "I'll be teaching you music."</p><p>"And I'll be teaching you art. Mr. Darius." The other responded.</p><p>Afterward, class was once again the kids talking, with one catching Ed's attention.</p><p>There were many kids Ed didn't know, but he at least recognized them, like the siblings of his social studies teacher (and speaking of them, Selim was in the room with them, sitting on the counter in the back, chewing on some pencils Evan gave him.)</p><p>Other than them, his brother, and his best friend, he didn't know anyone else. One he knew to be named Ling from last class, but he didn't know who was sitting next to him.</p><p>They had on a slightly oversized hoodie, the hood draping over their face so that Ed couldn't see it. </p><p>Approaching them slowly from behind (a casual hello, but slower) was the route he went, a route he would soon regret because as soon as he touched their shoulder and spoke, they leaped out their chair and spin kicked Ed in the face.</p><p>Ling stood up as well, putting his own hand on their shoulder. </p><p>"Lan Fan, take it easy." Ling said, pulling the hood off their face for the first time.</p><p>The hooded fellow was staring at Ed with annoyance, and Ed was staring back in surprise. He wasn't exactly expecting the kid who kicked him in the face to be a girl. To be honest, he wasn't sure WHAT he expected.</p><p>Lan Fan huffed after Ed's silence, slinking back into her chair, though she kept the hood off as per request of Ling.</p><p> </p><p>Class was over but Ed's face still hurt, a bruise forming on his cheek.</p><p>It was lunchtime now, and The Golden Trio made sure to sit at the same table.</p><p>Ed watched the other students talking at their tables.</p><p>Bradley's siblings were at a table, Selim sitting on it instead of a chair, eating some of Evan's styrofoam plate as the bored teen kept handing the boy pieces.</p><p>Nearby, Ling and Lan Fan were sitting at a table on their own. Ed tried to listen in on their conversation, but they seemed to be talking in a different language.</p><p>Sighing, he slouched in his chair, still staring dead ahead.</p><p>"Um… brother?" Came a confused voice.</p><p>Ed snapped out of his blank staring to notice his brother in his viewpoint. Apparently Ed watching the other two groups meant staring at his little brother.</p><p>Winry was also confused, waving her hand in front of the teen.</p><p>"You feeling okay, Ed? Nervous?" Winry asked, taking a bite of her french fry.</p><p>Ed waved a hand of dismissal. </p><p>"Nah, I'm fine. When does lunch end…" Ed responded, trailing off.</p><p>Winry stood up, grabbing her and Al's empty plates.</p><p>"Will we be seeing you outside, Ed?" Winry asked, upon returning to the table after throwing the plates away and helping Al up.</p><p>Ed grunted in response, getting up and tossing his half finished lunch away, rolling his golden eyes at the quiet laughter of Ling and Lan Fan after what he assumed was a joke Lan Fan said. He still couldn't understand them.</p><p> </p><p>Walking outside, he stood near his friend and brother, looking at all the other students who were being too loud.</p><p>"Hey kids, c'mere!" A man said. Ed assumed he was a teacher monitoring the children before next class.</p><p>He was looking directly at the three through his glasses. Folding his arms, he waited for them to walk over.</p><p>Once they did, he introduced himself. </p><p>"I'm Mr. Hughes. I have a surprise for you." He said, digging through his pockets while Ed, Al, and Winry exchanged glances, Al shifting slightly, the quiet click of his crutches on the concrete barely heard over the chatter.</p><p>Hughes pulled out his wallet, opening it up and a unfolding picture holder fell out, falling far enough to hit the ground and then some.</p><p>Hughes smiled wide.</p><p>"This is my wife and daughter! Gracia and Elicia!!" Hughes said, pointing to the two when he said their names. He was blushing hard, and mumbling about how he couldn't wait to get home to them.</p><p>Ed rolled his eyes as the bell rang.</p><p> </p><p>Next hour was Computer Class, taught by Denny Brosh.</p><p>He was the friend Ross mentioned during her class earlier.</p><p>Brosh stayed at his desk after he introduced himself, talking about his younger siblings.</p><p>Ed was barely listening, convenient because Brosh had soon stopped speaking as the class started talking to each other.</p><p>Something kept jabbing him in the back.</p><p>After a few seconds, he got annoyed enough to turn around, seeing the only sister of Bradley, Lucy, staring at him with a grin.</p><p>She had acrylic nails on, layered enough to reach past both Evan and the empty desk Selim sat on (seriously, does that kid know what a chair was?)</p><p>Lucy, Evan, and Selim started giggling at the clear annoyance on Ed's face, before the teen stood up, broke some of the nail layers off, and shoved them into Selim's mouth.</p><p>He slumped back in his chair, before being bonked on the head by a wrench by Winry, who was actually awake for once.</p><p>"Edward, that was rude of you!" She yelled, crossing her arms while Ed huffed and rubbed his head.</p><p>"Winry, I've been watching that kid all day. His sibling keeps feeding him weird shit. He'll be fine." Ed defended himself, pointing behind him with his thumb.</p><p>Selim had, infact, eaten the acrylics without much issue.</p><p>Winry stuttered. "Still."</p><p>The bell rang, and to the next class they went.</p><p> </p><p>Next class was P.E. It was taught by Alex Armstrong, the principal's younger brother.</p><p>Mr. Armstrong was a buff man, like Ed's Arts teachers, but at least they had the decency to keep a shirt on.</p><p>Armstrong had managed to flex off his shirt less than 5 minutes after the bell rang for class to start.</p><p>"I expect all of you to have your uniforms next week. Until then, you may sit on the bleachers and talk."</p><p>And they did just that.</p><p>Ed tapped his fingers on the plastic, listening to Al prattle on about the cat he spotted in between classes.</p><p>The door soon opened, in stepping a woman with long curly blond hair, accompanied by a Ishvalan man.</p><p>"That's the principal and the vice principal, right?" Winry whispered to Lucy, who was currently using her baby brother as an armrest.</p><p>Lucy absentmindedly nodded, not paying much attention to the blonde, simply playing on her phone while her brother accepted his new job as an armrest.</p><p>Winry watched the Armstrong siblings speak, before Olivier and Miles left the room, and the previous dead silent room erupted into talk again.</p><p>Lan Fan was sitting in the corner, talking to Ling in the two's native language, Xingese.</p><p>They were foreign exchange students, and they traveled to Amestris with Lan Fan's grandfather and another girl, Mei Chang. But Mei didn't attend high school. Infact, she was only a grade higher than Selim, putting her in middle school.</p><p>When the bell rang, Lan Fan hopped down the bleachers from the side, followed by Ling not long after.</p><p> </p><p>Next class was Robotics, and on their way there, they were stopped by a staff member.</p><p>"Mr. Havoc here," The man introduced himself. "I'm having a little trouble finding a friend. Falman. Gray hair, tells you way too much information on a single subject?"</p><p>Ling shrugged, and Lan Fan shook her head.</p><p>"Maybe he's in the library. That sounds like it suits him." Ling suggested.</p><p>Havoc thanked the two, walking off and letting them continue to class.</p><p> </p><p>Their teacher was Riza Hawkeye, an intimidating woman. Noone dared speak, fear that she might do something overtaking them.</p><p>She stared at the class after introducing herself, stepping back to behind her desk. Hawkeye bent down to pick up something on the floor.</p><p>To everyone's surprise, said thing was in fact, a very adorable dog.</p><p>"Class, this is Black Hayate. Treat him with as much respect as you would treat me." </p><p>She set the dog down, and he almost immediately curled up on her desk and fell asleep.</p><p>"You may quietly speak as to not wake Braha up."</p><p>The class finally spoke for the first time, much quieter than usual.</p><p>"Heh, I bet you can't wait until we start doing things in this class, ey, Winry?" Ed teased, and Winry grunted in response, not looking up from the notebook she had brought.</p><p>It was the same notebook she used to sketch out her designs for automail.</p><p>Al was watching her, handing her a pencil when she requested one.</p><p>Ed leaned back in his chair, looking behind him to see what the rest of the class was up to.</p><p>Bradley's siblings were huddled close, talking about something Ed couldn't hear. Once again, Selim was sitting on a desk.</p><p>Lan Fan and Ling were also talking in their own language, Lan Fan's hood up and obscuring her face.</p><p>The door opened, and Ed half-expected another 10 year old to enter, even glancing behind him to check if Selim was still there or not.</p><p>He was, as the one to enter the room was an adult man. A very short adult man.</p><p>"Excuse me, Ms. Hawkeye?" He asked, adjusting his glasses.</p><p>"Yes, Kain, you can pet Braha." Hawkeye sighed.</p><p>He smiled, and Ed was able to look at his ID as he walked in.</p><p>It read 'Kain Fuery.'</p><p>Ed watched the man pet his teacher's dog, sitting up as the bell rang.</p><p> </p><p>Soon, the last class was out.</p><p>Ling and Lan Fan were already walking off the school property. Most of the students took a bus or a parent picked them up, but they still had to get Mei from school.</p><p>The middle school she attended wasn't too far away, and the kid was already outside as close as she could be to the high school without actually being off the property.</p><p>Ling and Lan Fan continued their conversation as they walked by Mei, making no indication to her that they were there.</p><p>Mei followed them, trailing behind a little bit as she talked to the growth-stunted panda perched on her shoulder, Xiao Mei.</p><p> </p><p>Being the only one who knew how to drive at least a little meant you had to take home your rambunctious siblings.</p><p>This was Greg.</p><p>While yes, his oldest brother Bradley could, infact, drive, the adult usually stayed after school for one reason or another, and that meant Greg had to fill the role.</p><p>Usually he would only be taking Selim home, leaving his last hour 10 minutes early as none of the buses that went to the elementary school the child attended went near his home.</p><p>And usually, his siblings would all walk home, but today, they were all piled in his car.</p><p>As Selim was already in the car, as he was going to be for the next week until his school started, there would be no reason for Greg to leave early, and therefore he could drive his siblings home, much to his annoyance.</p><p>After all, this was HIS car. He had an after school job, and he bought this car with money he definitely didn't steal from it.</p><p>Despite being 10 and the only child, Selim was sitting upfront, and his older siblings in the back. </p><p>Selim took off his gray suit jacket and clip on tie, shoving it into his bag rather aggressively.</p><p>"You still wearing long sleeves under that thing?" Greg asked, waiting for the car in front of him to move already.</p><p>Selim sighed, straightening the white sleeves of his shirt, and adjusting the black top that went over it.</p><p>He looked up at his older brother in annoyance, his previously black eyes now a bright purple.</p><p>Greg bit his tongue on accident.</p><p>"I still don't understand how you can just. Change your eye color like that. It doesn't make sense."</p><p>"Don't try to understand, brother. Just accept it." Selim responded, folding his arms and staring out the window.</p><p>"Jeez, getting rude already? We haven't even left the property yet." Greg joked, earning an eye roll from the younger.</p><p>"Just shut up."</p><p>"Can we stop someplace on the ride home?" Gabriel asked from his seat beside Lucy, who was already on her phone again.</p><p>The glare from his younger sibling was enough to quiet the teen down, as he was afraid of his brother.</p><p> </p><p>Finally off the school property, Greg sighed in relief, driving home as fast as the speed limit would allow.</p><p>When they got home, most of them went into their rooms.</p><p>Lucy and Gabriel shared a room, Greg and Evan shared a room, Sampson and Bradley shared a room. Selim didn't have a room, so he slept on the couch.</p><p>The living room was basically his room, as all his belongings were in there, and it was where he spent all his time.</p><p>After confirming all of his siblings were in their rooms with the door closed, he quietly tapped on the closed door.</p><p>A door he's never seen open.</p><p>A room he's never been inside of.</p><p>A father he's never met.</p><p> </p><p>No response. There was never a response.</p><p>Selim has never met either of his parents. As long as he's been alive, this door has never been opened. The only reason he even knew his father was in the room was because he's heard his siblings mention him in conversations with each other, never with him.</p><p>Sighing, Selim picked up his backpack and quickly headed to his "room," as he didn't want any of his siblings catching him trying something that won't happen.</p><p> </p><p>Ed, Al, and Winry were waiting for Winry's grandmother, Pinako.</p><p>They'd walk home, but Ed didn't want Al walking that far to the house on their crutches. The path was far too rocky and twisty.</p><p>Eventually, she arrived, unlocking the door as the trio arrived. Winry sat up front, Ed and Al in the back.</p><p>Pinako always drove slowly and carefully. It may annoy others, but the three really appreciated it.</p><p>When Ed, Al, and Winry were 11-12, they had been in a car accident. Ed lost his arm and leg, Al got crippled and he got his crutches. Granny broke some bones, and Winry has a large scar on her shoulder she usually keeps covered.</p><p>Once they got home, they put their bags on the hanger by the door.</p><p>Ed and Al lived at the Rockbell residence since their mother's passing from a terminal illness. Their father left not long before, and the brother's weren't sure if he was coming back.</p><p>Their house had also burned down, leading Pinako to take them in, giving them the guest room.</p><p>Her son and his wife had stayed over numerous times since they moved out and had a child, meaning the guest room had still been furnished. It just hadn't been used in years due to the deaths of her son and daughter-in-law in the war.</p><p> </p><p>Pinako was making stew when Ed appeared in the doorway.</p><p>"I'm going to bed." </p><p>Pinako adjusted her glasses.</p><p>"Really? At least have some stew."</p><p>Ed shook his head, backing up and going up the stairs, the wooden steps creaking under the weight of the automail.</p><p>He sat in bed. When Al and him were given Winry's parent's old room, the double bed was replaced by two single beds. Al's was under the window, while Ed's was near the door.</p><p>Ed heard the distant laughter below, covering his face with his pillow.</p><p>Hopefully tomorrow will come soon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Back To School Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's been a week.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Selim woke up the next day. Sitting up, he stretched, running his hand through messy black hair.</p><p>He threw off his blankets and straightened out his pajama shirt, sliding off the couch after doing so. The house was dead silent as he crept through his 'room,' figuring his siblings were still asleep.</p><p>They usually were, despite all being older than him. He'd expect this type of behavior from Sampson at the very least. That teen was barely ever awake, and complained when he was.</p><p>Selim sighed, walking past the ever unopened door to his siblings rooms.</p><p>He first knocked on Bradley and Sampson's room.</p><p>The door opened immediately, the tall man's still messied hair and wrinkled sleep shirt clear that he had just woken up. </p><p>Selim smiled to himself. He was still the first to wake.</p><p>"It's time to wake up." He said, folding his arms and staring up at his adult brother.</p><p>The halls were dark, as Selim didn't require light to see. He's been here 10 years, he knows where everyone and everything is.</p><p>His siblings don't though, they never paid any attention to their surroundings.</p><p>Bradley simply grunted in response to his younger brother.</p><p>The door closed again, but Selim could hear the lights flick on.</p><p>He walked further down the hall to Greg and Evan, whose door wasn't closed all the way, leaving Selim to push it open as loudly as his little arms could.</p><p>"It's time to wake UP!" Selim called, practically yelling the last word.</p><p>Greg and Evan shared a bunk bed. They switch every night because of Greg's wanting of the top bunk and Evan's jealousy of not having the top bunk. This way, with Greg having the top bunk one night and the bottom the next, both were somewhat satisfied.</p><p>It was Evan's turn on the top bunk, and Selim's sudden breaking in and yelling knocked them out the bed.</p><p>"God, Selim! The hell's your problem?" Evan asked, rubbing their now sore back.</p><p>Selim smiled as innocently as he could, holding back laughter.</p><p>Greg owned a lava lamp he stole from his place of work, a pawn shop. The lamp was placed near the doorway where Selim was standing, his arms crossed and pretend innocent expression dropped, replaced with one of annoyance.</p><p>The soft red glow of the lava lamp was illuminating the child, and for a quick moment Evan thought Selim's eyes had started to glow red.</p><p>It was more likely how bright Selim's purple eyes usually were, even in the darkness.</p><p>After a few more moments standing there, the boy turned and left, but not before slapping the light switch to 'on.'</p><p> </p><p>Passing by his oldest brother's room, Selim peered in, seeing Sampson face down on his bed, to no one's surprise.</p><p>He felt a cloth brush against his legs, and spun around, seeing Bradley walk past him.</p><p>"I'm going to work now. Make sure Gabriel and Lucy are up." Bradley told his brother, opening the door and exiting the house before Selim could respond to him.</p><p>That didn't stop him from responding at all, mumbling about how he always does.</p><p>He knocked on his sister's room, met with Gabriel.</p><p>"It's time to wake up." Selim stated, getting a little tired of having to say it.</p><p>Gabriel smiled his dumb smile.</p><p>"Of course, little brother! I don't wanna be late for school!" Gabriel ruffled his brother's hair, much to the kid's annoyance.</p><p>"Plus, I'm hungry." He continued and Selim nodded.</p><p>"Me too. C'mon." Selim said, walking to the kitchen.</p><p>Lucy followed not long after.</p><p> </p><p>The siblings piled into Greg's car, and off they went to school.</p><p> </p><p>Lan Fan was woken up by a small force on her chest. Opening her eyes, she was met with a tiny panda.</p><p>Xiao Mei was sitting on the teen, staring at her blankly.</p><p>"Ugh… what do you want, panda." Lan Fan groaned.</p><p>The panda squeaked, as if it knew it was time to wake up for school.</p><p> </p><p>Lan Fan stood up and stretched, putting her black hoodie over her blank white t-shirt.</p><p>She headed downstairs, joining the other members of the household.</p><p>Her grandfather, Fu, was cooking breakfast.</p><p>Mei was playing with her panda, while Ling and Lan Fan were eating as much as Fu allowed them to.</p><p>After breakfast they entered Fu's car and headed to school.</p><p> </p><p>Bark! Bark! Bark!</p><p>"Den… Den quiet down." Winry groaned, waving her hand in the direction of the barking dog.</p><p>A bad choice, as Den grabbed Winry by her hand, holding her with teeth tight enough to not let go but loose enough to not bring pain.</p><p>"Is it time to wake up already?" Came Al's voice from the doorway, the clicking of his crutches heard before he stared at Winry being dragged by her beloved dog across the floor.</p><p>"Apparently so." She sighed, gently pulling her hand out the dog's mouth. "Go get Ed up."</p><p>Winry stood up as Al left, heading downstairs and sitting at the table.</p><p>"Good Morning, Winry." Granny said, sipping some coffee as she waited for the other two.</p><p>"It's back to school night right?" Winry asked, still a little sleepy.</p><p>Her grandmother simply nodded as loud yelling came crashing down the stairs.</p><p>Al had practically pushed his brother down the stairs.</p><p>Ed was still stumbling after he regained his balance, playfully punching his brother when the younger Elric was on even ground.</p><p> </p><p>Pinako dropped off the three, about 20 minutes before school started like usual.</p><p>They stood in a huddle. Winry was catching up on some reading for Mustang's class that she partially slept through the previous day. </p><p>Speaking of Mustang, Ed had a conversation planned with him.</p><p>He spotted the group of Bradley's siblings in his thought, but something was missing.</p><p>Selim wasn't with them.</p><p>"Hey, elementary school must've started today." Al commented, as if he could read Ed's mind.</p><p>The bell rang, and a quick glance Ed spotted Lan Fan and Ling quickly disappearing into the school.</p><p> </p><p>First Hour was going as usual, Mustang speaking about how it was back to school night, bring your parents, blah blah blah.</p><p>Ed raised his hand, though his question had nothing to do with the event, nor the class' subject.</p><p>"Yes, Edward?" Mustang called on him.</p><p>"Is it… true that you were accused of murdering Ross?"</p><p>The class went dead silent, the only sound being Ed's fake fingers tapping on his wooden desk, and Al tapping his crutches on the floor beside him.</p><p>"Elric. Do not bring up that event in this class again." Mustang responded, voice colder than it was before.</p><p>Ed shrugged, and the class resumed.</p><p> </p><p>In science class, Tucker was informing his class that he will not be at the event tonight, as he was attending his daughter's.</p><p>The same thing occurred in Bradley's class. He was going to Selim's, as he already knew his other siblings' teachers.</p><p> </p><p>That night, a selection of kids returned to the school.</p><p>Winry, Ed, and Al were brought by Pinako, while Lan Fan and Ling were brought by Fu.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Nina was bouncing in her chair as Tucker brought her to the event.</p><p>As they headed to the door, Nina spotted her best friend talking to an adult he came with. </p><p>"Selim! Is this your dad?" Nina asked, practically dragging her poor father along with her.</p><p>Selim stared at Nina for a few seconds, feeling Bradley's grip on his shoulder tightening.</p><p>Bradley didn't like it when people thought his siblings were his kids. It happened most often with Selim.</p><p>"Oh, no. This is my big brother. He's the high school's social studies teacher."</p><p>Nina hopped in place.</p><p>"Really? My dad's the science teacher!" Tucker nervously rubbed his head while his daughter spoke.</p><p>"Um, shall we go in?" He finally asked.</p><p>Bradley nodded, and they entered, their kids leading them around.</p><p>Selim and Nina often sat in the back of classes while their parent/brother were upfront.</p><p> </p><p>"Nina, how come you've never told me about your dog! I would really love to go over and pet him, he looks fluffy." Selim commented on the drawing Nina was doing of her dog, Alexander, during one of their classes.</p><p>Nina simply giggled in response, getting out a sparkly pen from her backpack and starting to write something on his arm.</p><p>Selim studied it. He still, despite being in 5th grade, had trouble reading, and Nina's hand being in the way certainly wasn't helping.</p><p>He sighed. He doesn't need a high school diploma to know what she wrote on his arm.</p><p>It read "DORK" on all caps.</p><p>Selim quickly unrolled his sleeve to cover it.</p><p>Nina stuck her tongue out as she watched her friend cover his new "tattoo."</p><p> </p><p>While her roommates were at back to school night, Mei was still at home.</p><p>Or more accurately, Mei was in the alleyway NEXT to Fu's house.</p><p>She had followed her pet panda down it, trying to catch her before she got lost.</p><p>Not looking where she was going, Mei bumped into a large thing, hitting it with enough force to knock the small child down.</p><p>Looking up, she saw it was a man.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry sir! I was trying to catch my pet panda before she got lost." Mei explains as she stands up.</p><p>The man turns to face her, Xiao Mei perched on his head.</p><p>"You found her! Thank you mister." She reached up for her, and the man bent down and handed the panda to Mei. He then turned around and headed off.</p><p>Mei ran after him.</p><p>"Where are you going?"</p><p>The man only shrugged. "I don't have a home."</p><p>"What!! But what about family? I live with my half-brother."</p><p>"Dead. Died in a war."</p><p>Mei frowned.</p><p>"What's your name?" She asked.</p><p>"Don't have one." He said, looking down at her. "Why are you so interested in my life?"</p><p>"I dunno." Mei responded. "Wanna hang out?"</p><p>The man paused.</p><p>"Would your brother be okay with it?"</p><p>"I'm not sure he'd care. We're from rival clans."</p><p>She stared up at the man's face, his large scar upon it giving her an idea.</p><p>"What if I called you Scar?"</p><p>"I don't mind."</p><p> </p><p>Bradley was driving home after the back to school night, Selim staring at the window.</p><p>"I'm going to stop at the store. Evan says we need more cereal." Bradley said, sounding like he was blaming Selim for that.</p><p>"Hey, that was Gabriel." </p><p>"Oh, I forgot. You eat everything that isn't food." Bradley joked. At least Selim thought he was joking. It was hard to tell.</p><p> </p><p>Selim listened to whatever was on the radio, left in the vehicle as his presence wasn't required to buy cereal.</p><p>Bradley was taking way longer than it should.</p><p>It was late, and Selim was tired.</p><p> </p><p>After what seemed like ages, Bradley finally emerged, talking to a lady around his age. He spotted his baby brother in the car, staring at him with bright purple eyes and a look of murder.</p><p>"Oh, sorry, but I must be going." Bradley said, gesturing to Selim with the cereal box he just bought.</p><p>"Oh, is that your son?" The lady asked, scribbling something on some paper.</p><p>"Not at all. That's my brother."</p><p>The lady handed him the paper. "Wow, he looks pretty young. How old is he?"</p><p>Bradley took it, placing it in his pocket before he even looked at it.</p><p>"He's 10."</p><p> </p><p>The two exchanged names, Bradley learning that her name is Lauren.</p><p>Bradley entered the car, immediately feeling the wave of anger the young child was feeling.</p><p>"And where were you?" Selim asked, before his eyes faded back to black as he felt his brother's emotion. It was almost smothered by how hidden the older made it.</p><p>"Oh? Does someone have a crush?" Selim asked, unbuckling his seatbelt to stand in his seat and ruffle his big brother's hair to further mock him.</p><p>"Sit down, Selim. I don't have a crush."</p><p>"You totally do! She gave you her number!" Selim pointed out.</p><p>"Just shut it. Let's go home."</p><p>Man his brother could be such a ass.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Accident</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Bradley actually cares for his sibling.</p><p>[This is one of the chapters with major injury/blood]</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I'm going out." Bradley's voice announced, the sound breaking the dead silence of the house.</p><p>Selim poked his head out of the living room, laughter barely contained. "On your date, lover boy?"</p><p>Bradley simply glared at him.</p><p>"Shouldn't you be asleep?"</p><p>Selim dropped his playfulness.</p><p>"You aren't my father."</p><p>"I might as well be." </p><p>The door shut without a response from his brother.</p><p> </p><p>Bradley entered his car, turning it on and pulling out the driveway, heading to a local restaurant to meet up with Lauren.</p><p>Stepping out the car, he pocketed his keys and shut the door, heading inside and asking if Lauren was there or not.</p><p>She was, so Bradley walked over and sat down.</p><p>The two ordered, and began chatting.</p><p>"So, what do you do for a living?" Lauren asked, folding her arms and looking up at the man.</p><p>"I teach Social Studies at my siblings' school."</p><p>"Oh? You have more than one?" She asked, recalling seeing Bradley's brother in the car the day the two met.</p><p>"Yes. They're all teenagers. Selim's the only child."</p><p>Lauren frowned. "How's that feel with your parents? I assume they bring them to school." Lauren asked, leaning close to her date.</p><p>Bradley didn’t respond for a few seconds, worrying Lauren.</p><p>“I… don’t have parents. Well, kinda.”</p><p>Lauren tilted her head, but said nothing.</p><p>“My mother died when Selim was born. We haven’t seen father since then. He still lives with us, but his door is closed and he’s never come out.”</p><p>The gentle scraping of Lauren’s fork on her plate filled her silence.</p><p>“Has… Selim ever met his father?”</p><p>Bradley shook his head. “No. I’m the closest he has to a father, and he refuses to admit it.”</p><p>“I see. May I go to your home?” Lauren asked, nearly causing Bradley to drop his fork.</p><p>“Um… I don’t think you’d like to. My sibling’s aren’t exactly the kindest people.”</p><p>Lauren smiled. “I don’t mind. Shall we go?”</p><p>“Wait, right now?” Bradley responded. He did drop his fork this time.</p><p>“Yes, I’ll pay.”</p><p>Bradley shook his head. “No, I will. It’s my way of pre-apologizing for the behavior of my siblings.”</p><p> </p><p>Once they paid, they went to Bradley’s car.</p><p>“You’re sure about this, right?”</p><p>Lauren nodded.</p><p> </p><p>The two stepped out of the car. Bradley knocked on the door. </p><p>It opened, and they could spot a small kid walking around the corner.</p><p>“There’s Selim.”</p><p> </p><p>They went into Selim’s room, aka the living room. The teens were also in the room, watching tv or on their phone.</p><p>Bradley introduced them to each other, and the others mumbled a response. Lauren called over Selim, and took him into the hall when he walked over.</p><p>“Selim, dear, how are you feeling today?” She asked, bending down to be at level with the child.</p><p>“Um, I’m doing okay…” The confused child responded.</p><p>“You can tell me if anything happens.” She responds. “Your brother has my number.”</p><p>Selim’s still confused. “Why does it matter to you?” He asked, eyes a faint purple. Selim sounds rude, but he’s generally confused. No one’s asked him this before. </p><p>“Well, just keep it in mind.”</p><p>Lauren stands back up, waving as Selim walks back to his “bed,” looking back in confusion a few times.</p><p>The two went into Bradley’s room, spending the night conversing and bonding.</p><p> </p><p>The next day Selim sat up, the loud sound of snoring bothering him all night.</p><p>Lauren stayed the night, meaning Sampson slept in Selim’s room.</p><p>Selim didn’t sleep all night.</p><p> </p><p>He slumped off the couch, knocking on his eldest brother's door.</p><p>When Bradley answered, he immediately noticed the problem.</p><p>"Hey. Didn't sleep well?"</p><p>"What gave you that idea?" Selim asked, eyes bright purple. "How do you manage to sleep with that awful snoring plaguing your dreams?"</p><p>Bradley shrugged. "I'm used to it."</p><p>Selim groaned, pushing past his brother and climbing into his bed, collapsing onto the sheets, falling asleep.</p><p>Lauren entered the room, having returned from gently waking the teens.</p><p>She gestured to the passed out Selim. "What's with him?"</p><p>"Didn't sleep. Guess he's going to work with me today."</p><p>Upon seeing Lauren's confused expression, he added that babysitter's don't come to the house anymore.</p><p>"I'll stay with him. Don't have anything going on today."</p><p>"Work?"</p><p>She shook her head.</p><p>"Then it's settled."</p><p>He left for work, and later Greg drove the other's.</p><p> </p><p>Selim sat up once again, feeling actually rested this time.</p><p>"Hello? Anyone home?" He called, and to his surprise he was met with Lauren.</p><p>"It's you." </p><p>Lauren nodded, approaching the child.</p><p>"Hello, Selim. I'm going to be watching you today, since you couldn't go to school." She said, smiling.</p><p>Selim stared up at her.</p><p>"Oh, okay…" He responded, walking past her into the kitchen. Selim was hungry again.</p><p>"Oh! Ready to eat?" Lauren asked, following him.</p><p>"Yeah." His eyes briefly flash purple in annoyance, but Lauren didn't see.</p><p>"Need any help?" She asked, watching the kid stand on a stool to reach the cabinet.</p><p>Selim shook his head. He took the box of cereal down, pouring himself a bowl with some milk. He sat at the dining table, and Lauren sat across from him.</p><p>He scooped some cereal, licking his lips before taking a bite, before looking up at his brother's… were they dating yet?</p><p>"Hey. What's going on with you and my brother?" He asked, squinting at the woman.</p><p>"Well, I'm hoping to get to talk more with him when he gets home."</p><p>"Do you… like him? Cause he likes you." Selim said, his expression turning to one of 'childish enjoyment.' He was enjoying this.</p><p>"Oh! I um…" Lauren trailed off, quickly becoming flustered.</p><p>Selim giggled, eating the last bit of his cereal before tossing it in the sink and running off into his room.</p><p>"Hey, wait!"</p><p>Lauren ran after the kid, sneaking up on him as he stood in the doorway. She then lifted him up, twirling him around while he was laughing. </p><p> </p><p>They did things like this the rest of the day, not even realizing the fun being had until the door opened, and Greg entered the room.</p><p>He stared at Selim and Lauren, who were playing some games, before going into his room.</p><p>"Hey, Greg's home. That means Bradley will be too soon." Selim said, sitting up and peeking over the couch.</p><p>He slumped back down, staring at the floor, tapping his fingers together.</p><p>"Something on your mind, dear?" Lauren asked.</p><p>….</p><p>"Is this how having a mom feels like? I've… never had one."</p><p>Lauren thought. "Um, I guess so. This is how I acted with my mother."</p><p>Selim scooted closer, falling asleep on her arm.</p><p> </p><p>Bradley closed the door, shuffling into the living room.</p><p>"Shh, he's asleep." Lauren said, gesturing to the sleeping kid in his bed across the room.</p><p>She stood up, and dragged Bradley to his room. "I want to know more about you."</p><p>"Sounds good to me."</p><p> </p><p>The next day, Evan was standing in a circle of students.</p><p>"Give me a name, and I'll tell you who would win in a battle between us."</p><p>Everytime they said a name, Evan would respond with their own name, unless it was obvious who would win.</p><p>"Mr. Tucker?"</p><p>"I'd win that."</p><p>"What about Selim?"</p><p>"Um… he'd… win." Evan stuttered, before yelling at the group to give them another name.</p><p>"Lan Fan?"</p><p>"Her? Isn't she the teen whose hoodie is always up? I'd like to see myself win that one." Evan said, non-vocally inviting Lan Fan to a fight.</p><p>The hooded teen stepped forward.</p><p>Evan tried to surprise punch her, but was dodged.</p><p>Again.</p><p>And again.</p><p>And again.</p><p>"Wha, hey!! Why can't I hit you??" They yelled. Their arm was grabbed by Lan Fan, who proceeded to use it to flip the other onto their back.</p><p>"Hey hey, break it up. Class is about to start."</p><p>Two staff members, Mr. Breda and Mr. Falman, had come over hearing the commotion.</p><p>"Get to the nurse to make sure she didn't break any of your bones."</p><p> </p><p>In Dr. Knox's office, Evan sat on the waiting chair until they were informed that they were fine.</p><p> </p><p>"That was embarrassing." </p><p>Evan snapped around, seeing his little brother standing in the middle of the hallway, eyes bright purple.</p><p>"What. Why are you here?" They asked.</p><p>"Lucy left me in the hall again."</p><p>"Why are you in this school at all?"</p><p>"Didn't feel like going to school."</p><p>"And Bradley believed you?" </p><p>Selim shrugged. "Yeah, he didn't care."</p><p>"Alright. Come on then."</p><p> </p><p>After the school day was over, Bradley arrived at Evan's last class.</p><p>"I'm bringing him home."</p><p>"That's unique of you." Selim said, looking up at him.</p><p>"Lauren suggested I try to bond with you more."</p><p> </p><p>Sitting in the car, Bradley made a couple of stops before they headed home.</p><p>It was dark by the time they actually did head home.</p><p>Selim was staring out the window, his backpack tossed rather lazily in the backseat.</p><p>Bradley watched him a couple times, not really worrying about people on the streets as no one else was really driving around. He found it strange but ignored it, speeding up a little bit at a time before his passenger finally noticed, turning and staring at his older brother with confused purple eyes.</p><p>"Why are we going so fast? That's a little dangerous." Selim asked after a few seconds, looking away from his brother and onto the street in front of them.</p><p>"No one else is out here, so I figured I'd speed up so we can get home faster." The adult explained.</p><p>Selim rolled his eyes at that.</p><p>"No one is waiting on us. We can take as long as we please." He said with a sigh.</p><p>Bradley grunted but didn't slow down. The occasional street lamp illuminated the two. Bradley glanced down at his younger brother, the boy's expression still one of annoyance. There was a hint of something else, something of guilt maybe? Bradley continued to look at him, forgetting he was driving a car until Selim noticed that he was being stared at and growled, pointing to the road before his eyes went wide.</p><p>"Look Out!!" Selim yelled, causing Bradley to snap back to what he was supposed to be doing.</p><p>A small car had pulled out infront of the two to continue its journey to wherever it was going.</p><p>Unfortunately, Bradley couldn't slow down in time and they slammed into the passenger side of the other vehicle, the two cars skidding down the street.</p><p>There was a turn not long after the initial point of the crash, and the two cars quickly tumbled down the hill, the frightened yelps of the child in the car with him made Bradley regret going so fast.</p><p>Bradley wanted to put his hand in front of his brother, but with the constant flipping of the car as it went down prevented him from doing so, as it was making it hard for him to find Selim and try to protect him.</p><p> </p><p>It seemed like so long before they finally stopped moving. The adult wasn't sure exactly how long it had been, but that didn't matter right now. He had to get out and get Selim.</p><p>The car had stopped upside down making unbuckling his seatbelt and fighting past the airbag (which was not on for passengers) a bit harder than anticipated. The window was broken, and once he was free of the belt he carefully crawled through it, thankful that his coat and pants were thick enough to not be torn by the broken glass.</p><p>Once he was outside he attempted to stand up, prompting himself on the car, almost falling down. His leg was hurting so badly, and it was clear to Bradley that it was definitely injured, and was most likely broken. </p><p>Next, he hobbled over to the passenger side, hoping his baby brother didn't get it as bad as he did. On his way over, he thought about how this situation would've been different if Greg was the one driving the boy home.</p><p>Greg takes a different route, and doesn't speed, so colliding with this car probably wouldn't have happened.</p><p>But no matter. This was his fault, he should've listened to Selim when he had first mentioned the danger. Bradley was basically his parent, as Selim's actual parent has never met him despite still living with him.</p><p>That might have been the reason for the guilt Bradley swore he saw on Selim's face before the crash. Selim often thinks that his dad will come back into his life despite never being in it in the first place since Selim's birth was the death of his mother. Was Selim starting to recognize that?</p><p>He was thinking too much of it, and had been struggling to stand outside the passenger side for longer than he wanted. Bradley could hear the crying of the boy, calling for his parents.</p><p>Bradley wondered if his last thought was wrong, or that the trauma and pain of what he assumed was a pretty bad injury judging how broken the kid's voice sounded had clouded his mind. Bradley KNEW Selim understood his mother was dead. It's one of the reasons he's getting so attached to his brother's girlfriend. Lauren was the mom Selim never had.</p><p>He shook his head. Bradley really had to stop thinking about the reasons behind the kid's cries and just help the damn boy already. Selim may annoy the hell out of him at times but it was still the adult's duty to help his kid brother.</p><p>Bradley lowered himself onto the ground to be level with the window. It was broken on this side too, not a surprise at all.</p><p>He saw the 10 year old inside, still in the chair upside down. Selim was covering half of his face with his hands and arms, blood pouring out from under his hands and staining the white sleeves of his shirt.</p><p>Bradley tried to figure out how his smaller brother had gotten the worst injury of the two, before realizing that he didn't have anything protecting him other than the seatbelt. The roof of the car above him (or it was now below him) was dented in, and the glass from the window and windshield were shattered into the car.</p><p>That wasn't a concern right now. The concern was getting Selim out the car, checking on the car Bradley hit, and calling an ambulance.</p><p>He carefully reached in, unbuckling the younger's seatbelt, his other hand on his chest as to not allow Selim to drop and hit his head after being set free. He already had an injury on his face, he doesn't need another one.</p><p>Selim's cries seemed to have quieted down once he felt the pressure of his brother's hand preventing him from falling, but that didn't stop him completely. After all, he was bleeding badly from the face.</p><p>Once the seat belt was off, Bradley carefully took his brother out of the car, trying his hardest not to further injure the boy on the broken glass shards.</p><p>Lifting him close once the mission was completed, he carefully pulled himself up, a task made even harder than last time as he could only use one arm.</p><p>Bradley limped over to the other car, which thankfully wasn't very far, and pulled open the driver side door that was surprisingly unlocked.</p><p>He carefully opened it, and was met with two people. An old man, and… Lan Fan? She was in his class. Now that he looked closer, the old man she was with was Fu, her grandfather that had attended the back to school night. </p><p>Lan Fan faced him when she heard the door open. It would be much easier for the two to get out as their car wasn't flipped upside down, so why haven't they left?</p><p>Lan Fan seemed to understand his confusion despite the older man not actually saying anything to her.</p><p>"My arm… I can't move it at all. And my grandfather isn't either. He's still alive, I can feel his breathing." The teen explained, her attention being drawn to the young boy Bradley held in his arm. </p><p>Selim was sitting on the arm not being used to keep Bradley up, his arms wrapped the man's neck. He was facing the two, looking at them with a pained expression, whimpering and sniffling occasionally.</p><p>To Lan Fan, Selim was a cheerful and happy child, always helping his siblings at the school whenever he had to go. But now? He was a mess. Cheerful and happy was replaced with pain and misery as the blood continued leaking down the giant wound on his face. His remaining eye wasn't the black she was used to seeing, but a dull, grayish purple color, filled with sadness.</p><p>Selim had blood all over his hands and sleeves, which were wrapped around Bradley's neck. Blood was getting on the man because of this, but at this point that was the least of his worries.</p><p>Bradley hobbled over to the other side of the car to help Lan Fan out. Her door was obviously unlocked, and he helped steadied her as best he could with a possibly broken leg and holding an injured child.</p><p>"I-I got it, I'm fine." Lan Fan said upon standing up, wobbling a little. Now that she was out of the car it was easier to see her wound. </p><p>It was on her shoulder, the fabric torn on her black hoodie she wore every day. The gash was deep, and that wasn't a surprise to Bradley. Her arm wasn't moving anymore, the gash had to be deep enough to remove the ability to move it.</p><p>Lan Fan stumbled over to her grandfather's side of the car. Her legs weren't as injured as Bradley's was, but she was just in a car crash. She was a bit disoriented. Bradley followed her around, putting a hand on her uninjured shoulder.</p><p>"Here, take Selim for a moment. I'll be able to get him out easier than you can."</p><p>Lan Fan frowned at the man. She wasn't happy at not being able to help her family due to her injured shoulder, but she had no choice, especially considering Bradley was already limping to the door and handing her Selim.</p><p>Lan Fan took the boy, sitting him comfortably as one could in her situation. Selim stared at her as she watched Bradley, recognizing her from the school he sometimes attended.</p><p>Soon, Bradley had Fu out, steadying the old man against the car. He didn't know if any bones were broken, but Fu probably still shouldn't stand.</p><p>Bradley took Selim back from Lan Fan and pulled out his phone, dialing up the hospital so they could get an ambulance.</p><p>Lan Fan helped Fu up the hill, while Bradley struggled to limp up it. Selim tried to get his brother to put him down so he could help like Lan Fan was helping her grandfather, but Bradley refused. He couldn't tell if Selim was trying to act like the happy child he pretended to be at school seeing as Lan Fan and Fu were there or not.</p><p> </p><p>Soon, the ambulances arrived and the four were taken in.</p><p> </p><p>Fu woke up first, his arm in a cast. Apparently it had been badly injured in the crash. He waved over a nurse with his free hand.</p><p>"Where's my granddaughter Lan Fan?" He inquired, a worried tone in his voice.</p><p>"She's in the recovery room. They just finished amputating her arm not long before you woke up." The nurse said before going "Oh!"</p><p>Fu looked at her, focused more on the amputation part than the 'Oh'. "What?"</p><p>"A teenager is here to see you and Lan Fan. Uh, Ling Yao, I think."</p><p>Fu wasn't entirely sure how Ling had found out he and Lan Fan were in the hospital, but that didn't matter.</p><p>"Send him in."</p><p> </p><p>Ling was sitting on the chair beside Lan Fan's bed. She had recently been wheeled in but hadn't woken up yet. Ling was staring at Bradley's bed.</p><p>Someone definitely had to have told Ling about what happened.</p><p> </p><p>Speaking of Bradley, he was sitting up in his bed, uncomfortable, as all 5 of his other siblings were surrounding his bed as Selim was not up yet.</p><p>"Does it hurt?" Gabriel asked, already taking stuff off of Bradley's hospital plate. He'd take food off of Selim's as well, but Gabriel was kind of afraid of Selim, even if he was currently unconscious and 10 years old.</p><p>Bradley nodded, taking a sip of the tea he requested. He managed to grab the cup before Gabriel had drunk it.</p><p>After running out of food to steal, Gabriel decided to try to brave Selim, figuring there's nothing the boy could do to him at the moment, not to mention the fact Gabriel could try to get more food for Selim before he woke up. After all, the kid also eats a lot, and so it'll be unwise to not leave him some food.</p><p>He slid out from the group, walking over to his only younger sibling's bed, unaware of the Xingese teen staring him down from behind.</p><p>Gabriel reached out to grab the cup of pudding the nurse left for his sibling, but was instantly stopped by a cold, childish voice.</p><p>"Keep your filthy hands away from my food, Gabriel." </p><p>Gabriel held his hands up in surprise.</p><p>"S-Selim! I wasn't gonna do anything, I swear!" He lied, rubbing the back of his head nervously.</p><p>The child quietly growled, staring up at his brother with his remaining eye. Half of Selim's face was bandaged up, still red and wet with blood.</p><p>"Gabriel… give me your hand."</p><p>The older sibling did so, nervous of what Selim was going to do.</p><p>Once the hand was close enough, Selim bit it. Hard.</p><p>Gabriel yanked his hand away from his brother as the younger laughed.</p><p>The rest of the siblings, minus Bradley, flocked to the bed where Gabriel was at when they heard his yelp after Selim had bit him.</p><p>Evan was the first to act once they got settled. He poked Selim in the cheek, earning a bite as well.</p><p>"Okay, bad idea." Evan said, rubbing his finger and backing up.</p><p>Selim backed up as well, scooting up in his hospital bed, grabbing his cup of pudding that was previously in danger of being stolen.</p><p>Selim ripped open the packaging with his teeth, ignoring Lucy's sigh of "There's a tab…"</p><p>Selim took the plastic spoon he was provided with, staring at the pudding with more hunger than a regular 10 year old should.</p><p>He licked his lips, an action that freaked the rest of his siblings out. It happened every time, to the boy's udder confusion.</p><p>Selim paused before he actually got a scoop of the pudding, staring at his siblings as they still looked freaked out by his previous action.</p><p>"Can I help any of you?" He asked, clearly annoyed by this.</p><p>The 5 mumbled and looked at each other, quietly shuffling away to the waiting room until visiting hours were over.</p><p> </p><p>Bradley and Fu were released from the hospital sooner than Selim and Lan Fan were.</p><p>Every day Nina would visit Selim, her being in his class, meaning she could drop off any school or homework. Of course, the two were friends as well, so Nina would stay and chat before Shou told her it was time to go.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have been waiting to post this one fer so long...</p><p>Also!! Nina is 10 years old, the same age Selim is.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Sleepover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Greg visits a friend.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hey look a new chapter</p><p>i havent had alot of freetime to work on this...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Some time passes, and Lan Fan and Selim are released from the hospital.</p><p>When Lan Fan returns to her home, she's hugged by Ling gently, while Fu watches from the distance, staring at her shoulder.</p><p>She wasn't wearing her hoodie. It was instead folded, hanging off her remaining arm.</p><p>Ling stood in front of her, glancing behind him briefly upon hearing the floor creak as Mei entered the room and walked over to the teens. Xiao Mei was perched on her shoulder, looking at the empty nothingness where Lan Fan's arm used to be.</p><p>She wanted to reach out, to feel the space beside the older girl. </p><p>But that would be rude, wouldn't it?</p><p>The girl shuffled backwards. Mei was probably going to ask Lan Fan something that would make the others mad at her.</p><p>Lan Fan unconsciously rubbed her stump, the sleeve hanging limply.</p><p>Ling put his hand on her arm, carefully pulling it off and placing it at her side.</p><p>"You need some rest." Ling said gently, leading Lan Fan to her room.</p><p>Fu sighed and headed to the kitchen to cook, knowing full well that the hospital didn't feed Lan Fan as much as they should've, while Mei slipped out to the alleyway.</p><p> </p><p>Selim's return home was nowhere near as calm as Lan Fan's.</p><p>Greg had driven him home as Bradley was still healing. He should be about able to drive again, yet here Greg was.</p><p>Selim was in the passenger seat, staring out the front of the window, eye dull purple.</p><p>"Hey, you can calm down. You're not going to get into another car crash." Greg said, still paying attention to the road while he spoke.</p><p>Selim said nothing, instead looking down and fiddling with the Hospital Wristband he was wearing.</p><p>Greg pulled onto the side of the road, away from traffic before looking down at his younger brother.</p><p>"Look at me." </p><p>Somehow Greg had not seen the child's face in full, as he was either looking away, or down.</p><p>Selim hesitated, looking up at his brother after a few seconds.</p><p>The bandages that previously covered half his face were replaced with an eye-patch, which failed to cover some of the missing skin on his face.</p><p>Greg reached over and flipped the flap in front of the kid, opening it up so that the mirror was visible.</p><p>"Check it out." Greg said.</p><p>Selim stared up and adjusted it.</p><p>"I look like a pirate." He said, frowning.</p><p>"You look cool. Do you know how many 10 year olds get cool scars like that?" Greg said, attempting to cheer up his younger brother. It wasn't exactly his responsibility, but car trips aren't really fun when the only passenger is depressed. Rightfully so, of course.</p><p>"I just hope Nina treats me the same." He said, shutting the mirror.</p><p>Selim didn't have a crush or anything on the girl, but she was a very close friend and the thought of losing her hurt him.</p><p>"Hey, I don't think she cares all that much. Didn't you say she visited you in the hospital almost every day? You still had those gross bloody bandages when you did. I don’t think she’d mind.” Greg reminds him, pulling back into the road.</p><p>“We’re almost home.” He added.</p><p> </p><p>Greg entered the home, his brother trailing behind. Selim heard nothing in the home, the air one of pure silence. </p><p>“Hey, Greg? Is anyone even home?” He asked, tugging on his older brother’s coat.</p><p>Greg grunted in response, placing his hand on the child’s back and pushing him ahead.</p><p>He was pushed into his room. All of his siblings were in the room, including Bradley’s girlfriend, who had also often visited the kid, and his best friend. </p><p>Lauren and Nina were talking to each other in the corner. At least, they had been, stopped in place and staring at the doorway ever since they heard Greg open the door.</p><p>Greg had sat down on the nearest available surface, already on his phone, as was Lucy. Gabriel was surprisingly not eating, instead staring at the doorway like the two who weren’t related to the others in the room. Sampson was passed out, unaware that his brother was out of the hospital. Evan was sitting on the couch, bored, while Bradley sat in his chair, watching his girlfriend.</p><p>“Hey, guys.” He waved as he watched his brother slam himself on a chair. </p><p>Both Nina and Lauren got up to where Selim was, Nina practically leaping onto him, hugging him tight.</p><p>“Hey, hey, calm down, Nina.” Selim said, pulling the girl off of him. “You visited me in the hospital, you knew I was fine.” He couldn’t help but be annoyed at his only friend.</p><p>“But you aren’t fine!” Nina said, Lauren’s hands on her shoulders. “Look at your face!”</p><p>Selim frowned, looking away so that his eye-patch wasn’t visible anymore.</p><p>“Thanks for reminding me, Nina.” He responded, his eye fading to purple and his voice going cold. Selim pushed past the two to sit on his couch-bed, folding his arms.</p><p>Lauren and Nina followed, Nina frowning as she put a hand on his shoulder. </p><p>“I didn’t mean that, Selim.”</p><p>The two stared at each other, noises in the background starting up as the siblings argued and turned on the TV.</p><p>It was starting to get too loud. Selim suddenly stood up, and left the room. A gentle click of the door amongst the shouting was ignored by all but one.</p><p>“I’ll go find him.” Nina said, as Lauren sat down in the chair next to Bradley, the young girl walking out the door.</p><p>It didn’t take long to find the other, his anger was practically on the air. He was in a yard, one that didn’t belong to his family, head resting on his knees.</p><p>She could tell his patch wasn’t on. It was wrapped on his arm instead.</p><p>Nina sat down next to Selim, patting his back in an attempt to calm him.</p><p>The boy's grip on his legs tightened, before he lifted his head. Nina couldn't see the other half of his face, the injured half, but she was sure she wouldn't mind seeing it if she could.</p><p>Tears were falling down on part of his face, holding his arms out in front of him as if he was trying to grab something.</p><p>"Why am I acting like this? I'm better than this. I shouldn't get upset over an injury."</p><p>Nina frowned, standing up before slowly walking in front of him. She wasn't aware that his actual personality was different from the one he had at school, though she did get a glimpse of it before she had headed outside to find him.</p><p>"Selim, you have every right to feel like this. It's only natural for kids our age, or maybe even adults to be upset over bad injuries that change their lives like this." Nina crouched down in front of Selim, seeing his injury for the first time. It had been previously covered by bandages back at the hospital, and then an eye-patch when he got home.</p><p>Half of his face was scarred, the skin missing. The spot where his eye was had the most, completely removing any possible idea of placing where the eye had even been.</p><p>Nina tried her best not to frown at how upset both of them were. That won't help in this situation. Instead, she leaned forward and hugged him, careful not to hit his face with a sleeve or hair.</p><p>After she pulled away, she stood back up.</p><p>"I'll leave you alone, now." Nina turned and started to head off, but Selim stood up, grabbing her arm before she could leave.</p><p>"Please don't. I don't think I can handle this right now. Not on my own."</p><p>Nina smiled and sat back down, distracting her best friend with things like clouds and schoolwork as she watched him put his patch back on.</p><p> </p><p>Greg exited his home sometime after Selim stormed out and Nina followed. He entered his car and drove off, ignoring the glimpse he caught of his brother and his friend sitting in the neighbor's yard.</p><p>He was heading to Ling's home, another home that had someone recovering from a car crash. It was the same one Selim was in, but still.</p><p>Greg had been over to Ling's home several times in the weeks between the Crash and Selim's return. He had been paired up with the Xingese teen several times at school, and was starting to enjoy his company... is what he would've said a few weeks ago. He was Ling's friend now, a close friend (though he would never be as close to him as Ling was to Lan Fan), and had been over to his house more than he could count.</p><p>It got to the point where Greg would be there so often that he was practically living there, using the shower and eating their food. They never had that much food, and Greg would have thought it was due to being poor, had he not basically lived there for weeks and knew it was because Ling and Lan Fan would eat a bunch of it before being yelled at by Lan Fan's grandfather.</p><p> </p><p>Greg's thoughts faded out as he drove up to the house, turning off his car and exiting, entering the home with the spare key Ling gave him.</p><p>He greeted Fu, who was sitting on the couch reading a newspaper, as the teen walked by him, heading into Ling's room. There were two beds, as Ling shared his room with Fu, while Mei bunked with Lan Fan.</p><p>Lan Fan was in the room as well as Ling.</p><p>"How's the shoulder?" Greg asked, sitting at a chair at the desk in the room.</p><p>"Still hurts." She responded.</p><p>"You thinkin of getting a replacement for that? That Rockbell girl at school runs a whole business for that stuff with her granny." Greg said, leaning forward in his chair.</p><p>"Perhaps. How's your brother?" She asked.</p><p>"Still a little shit, but I guess he's okay. He stormed out today, but I saw him and his friend laughing outside." Greg responded, not seeing the confused expressions on the teens in front of him.</p><p>Selim's a sweet kid, isn't he?</p><p>"You mind if I sleep here tonight?" He asked, tapping the chair.</p><p>"You usually do. Honestly, it's like you live here." Lan Fan responded, leaning close to Ling, who shifted so he wouldn't be touching her shoulder.</p><p>"Hey, wouldn't mind that at all.” Greg responded, half-joking. He leaned forward to Ling.</p><p>“You wouldn’t happen to have an extra room for me, huh?”</p><p>Ling pushed Greg’s face away, careful not to wake the now asleep Lan Fan, who was still leaning against him.</p><p>“It’s not my house, it’s her grandfather’s. Why do you want to live here anyway?” Ling asked. He’s barely ever been in Greg’s house, and anytime he was his siblings were either out or in their rooms with the doors closed.</p><p>“My siblings are assholes and I haven’t seen my father in 10 years. This place is loads better.” Greg shrugs.</p><p>“All of them? I don’t see Selim very often, but he seems nice.” Ling questioned.</p><p>Greg shook his head. “Nah, not really. He realized pretty soon that no one wanted to be friends with an arrogant bastard, so he puts on a show in public.”</p><p>This was news to Ling.</p><p>“I’ve only seen Selim not acting happy once, but he wasn’t acting rude.” Lan Fan said, waking up and sitting straight. “The night of the crash, he acted pretty pathetic. Though, I can’t really blame him, half of his face was covered in blood.”</p><p>Greg nearly forgot that the crash his brother was in was the same that Lan Fan was in.</p><p>“Well, I guess I’ll be going.” Greg said, standing up suddenly, as if he wanted the conversation over.</p><p>“No, it’s too late.” Fu’s voice at the door startled Greg, while Lan Fan and Ling were used to this. “You can stay here tonight.”</p><p>This home was feeling more like home than his own.</p><p> </p><p>The next day Greg went home. He left for home around 5 in the morning, and didn’t tell his siblings. He entered his home, his room, and was about to climb into the top bunk when he felt someone already in it.</p><p>Evan? No, couldn’t be. He had nearly stepped on his sibling’s arm climbing into his bed. Greg continued to squish around the cheek of the intruder, his hand sliding to an area of skin that felt horribly different, and a loud yelp was emitted.</p><p>Selim was in his bed, and Greg had just touched his injury.</p><p>Greg stumbled, both from Selim’s yelp and the hard punch to his leg, accompanied by a “shut the hell up!” from a tired Evan who wasn’t awake enough to try to pretend to be worried about the yelp.</p><p>“Selim, what the hell are you doing in my bed?” Greg demanded, whispering.</p><p>“I didn’t know when you were coming back, and a temporary free bed is better than a damn couch!” He hissed back, tossing a pillow at his brother before scampering out the bed, staring at his brother dead on.</p><p>Greg felt sick staring at his brother’s uncovered face. He probably wouldn’t mind as much had that injury be anywhere but his 10 year old brother.</p><p>There was a snap as Selim put his patch back on, pulling on the strap with way too much force.</p><p>The door closed and that meant Selim was gone.</p><p> </p><p>Selim would ask to go over to Nina’s house soon. The warmth of an actual bed felt good, even if it hadn’t lasted the whole night.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Alleyway.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Someone else winds up in the hospital</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>[injuries and blood!]</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Today, Greg was sick, so he couldn't drive Selim to school. Bradley was already heading to work, so he couldn't do it either.</p><p>That's why Selim was going to walk to school with his friend, Nina. Her dad was also a teacher, but she was dropped off at a fellow staff member's house as it would be too early for Nina to go to school.</p><p>Said staff member was Maes Hughes. He was obviously already at work, so Selim hadn't been able to speak to him before he left. Not that he really wanted to, anyway.</p><p>He sipped his juice Hughes' wife, Gracia, had left out for him and Nina.</p><p>Hughes' daughter, Elicia, was also at the table, staring at Selim with big green eyes.</p><p>Selim stared back.</p><p>"What are you looking at, Elicia?" Nina asked before Selim could. Elicia pointed at Selim's face.</p><p>"Why does he have a patch?" She asked.</p><p>Nina pulled Elicia into her lap, ruffling the younger girl's hair. "He just had an accident. He's fine now." </p><p> </p><p>"Okay kids, it's time for you to go to school. Are you sure you don't want me to drive you?" Gracia asked, handing the two a few cookies each.</p><p>"It's not too far Mrs. Hughes." Nina responded as Selim munched on a cookie.</p><p> </p><p>Halfway down the route to school, there is a crosswalk. Nina sprinted past it as fast as she could just to see how fast she could run it, while Selim was more hesitant, taking his time.</p><p>He would've liked to run like his friend did, but something stopped him. The nervousness of the street was pulling him back to safety, but the call of his friend pushed it forward.</p><p>“Come on Selim! Just run and you’ll be out of the street!” Nina called, waving him forward.</p><p>“You don’t think I’m trying?” Selim hissed, his eye bright purple.</p><p>He glanced to both sides when he spotted a car heading towards him, stopping dead in his tracks.</p><p>“Selim!! They’re not going to hit you, come on!”</p><p>Selim slowly turned to Nina, blinking.</p><p>“Nina, come get me. I can’t move.”</p><p>The car had stopped, honking at the kid in the middle of his path.</p><p>Nina glanced between the car and the kid, running into the street, shoving him until he was on the sidewalk, where he fell down and the car drove off, yelling profanities at the two 10 year olds.</p><p>“No one better find out about this.” Selim huffed, standing up and dusting himself off.</p><p> </p><p>At the high school, Ed, Al, and Winry were reading a book in Mustang’s class. Mustang was reading it out loud, while the kids followed along.</p><p>The rest of the day went as usual, nothing unusual happened in any of the classes, though Social Studies was interrupted by Nina calling Bradley to tell him what had happened with Selim earlier, the kids were unaware of what the call was about, however.</p><p> </p><p>Once school got out, Mustang stood by the robotics classroom, waiting for Hawkeye. The two usually walked home together (and to school as well).</p><p>“Braha’s ready to go.” Hawkeye appeared at the door, scaring Mustang as he was distracted by the posters lining the walls.</p><p>Hawkeye’s small dog looked up at Mustang, panting as he leaned down to pet him.</p><p>“I am too.” Mustang jokes, allowing Hawkeye and Hayate to exit the room.</p><p> </p><p>“So what are your plans for this weekend?” Hawkeye questioned, glancing down as Hayate stopped to sniff yet another patch of grass.</p><p>“I hope to spend it with you.” Mustang flirted, earning an eye roll from his companion.</p><p> </p><p>The two walked for some time, before Mustang reached his house, leading to their separation as usual.</p><p>The air was silent aside from Braha’s claws clicking on the stone floor as Hawkeye continued to her home. </p><p>Well, it was almost quiet. There was another gentle set of footsteps behind her own.</p><p>Hawkeye turned, but saw nothing, growing uneasy. Hayate’s barking snapped her attention back in front of her. A tall man holding a cleaver kicked Hayate back with a yelp.</p><p>The man got closer, quickly grabbing her by the neck, pinning her against the wall. Hawkeye grasped at his hand, trying to get him to release her.</p><p>“Stop trying to escape. It won’t work.”</p><p>The man lifted his cleaver, slicing through Hawkeye’s shirt and shoulder, blood immediately seeping out the wound as he cut deeper. He then suddenly threw her down, stepping on her chest to prevent her from getting away. He leaned in close, holding his cleaver close to her neck, before slicing through it with a smile.</p><p>“Say goodnight.”</p><p>Hawkeye’s vision was blurring as he stared at him, feeling the weight on her chest lift as she assumed he was walking away.</p><p>But… who was yelling at him? The voices were too muffled for her to figure it out, seeing two dark figures and short, repeated sounds.</p><p>Barking.</p><p>Black Hayate must have gotten Mustang to help.</p><p>She tried to call for him as her vision went dark.</p><p> </p><p>Hawkeye shot up, breathing heavily as she quickly looked around. Her hand was immediately on her neck, then shoulder, the slight weight bringing her more pain.</p><p>“Riza! Don’t touch that!” Hawkeye’s attention went to Mustang, who had entered the room holding a Get Well Soon card.</p><p>Glancing beside her, she saw that her desk beside her bed was covered in cards and flowers, spotting ones from the Elrics, Winry, and the Bradleys.</p><p>“Who is that from?” Hawkeye grabbed the card out of Mustang’s hand as he approached. </p><p>“Ling Yao and Lan Fan.” Mustang sat down in the chair next to her. “I’m glad Hayate found me. He’s somewhere around here, or I think someone took him to a vet for you to make sure he didn’t get hurt.”</p><p>Hawkeye nodded, sighing. “I hope he’s okay. That creep kicked him.”</p><p>“Well, that guy’s in jail now. There’s your justice for any dog injuries.”</p><p>She slid in her bed as Mustang was ushered out of the room for Hawkeye’s band aid changes. </p><p> </p><p>Robotics class would be having a sub for the next few weeks.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hawkeye was attacked in this version because school didnt allow her to bring a gun with her. Therefore she couldn't shoot Barry (it was implied) like in canon.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Prom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's a date!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>RING!!!</p><p>"Now, class, I hope you all attend the prom this Friday." Mustang spoke over the bell, setting down his book on his desk. "I myself will be attending it, and I am bringing a date with me."</p><p>Well, the date would come if she was feeling up to it. It had been a few weeks since Hawkeye was almost killed in an alleyway, and she had recently left the hospital and returned to work, her classes being much calmer.</p><p> </p><p>The class filed out, Al struggling not to get shoved down as he tried to keep up with his brother and friend.</p><p>"Are you taking anyone to the dance?" Al asked.</p><p>"I've got someone in mind. Are you?" Ed responded in a lowered voice.</p><p>"No, I'm not. I guess I'll just hang out with you and your date." Al chuckled.</p><p> </p><p>Most teachers and students were going to the dance alone, though some were in pairs, romantic or not.</p><p>For example, Ross and Brosh were going together, though Ed wasn't really sure of anything with them beyond the fact that they were friends.</p><p>Tucker had no one to go with, but he was bringing his daughter with him so he could show her his work.</p><p>Bradley was also bringing a child who didn't attend the school, his brother Selim. Unlike Tucker, he had a date, his girlfriend Lauren.</p><p>Darius and Henkiel were going together, and Armstrong was probably going to be around his sister. Hawkeye was going with Mustang, if she was well enough.</p><p>Ed was thinking of asking Winry, who was thinking of asking Ed. Lan Fan and Ling were going, accompanied by Greg as Ed was to be by Al. Hughes was going with his wife, and they were bringing their 3 year old daughter.</p><p> </p><p>During lunch, Ed tapped his fingers on the table, his fake fingers making hollow taps. He was going to ask Winry to the dance, if only he could figure out how to phrase.</p><p>Luckily for him, Winry had started designing and building Lan Fan's new automail arm. This meant that instead of eating lunch, Winry was asleep.</p><p>Ed having time to phrase his question properly was really the only upside to when this happened. Winry stayed up all night, slept through class, and barely ate.</p><p>He gently nudged her awake, nearly getting smacked by her in the process.</p><p>"Mm.. Ed?"</p><p>"Winry… did you want to go to that prom with me?"</p><p>Winry sleepily stared at him.</p><p>"I… thought we already were…" She mumbled out.</p><p>Well, that was easy.</p><p>"Right, right, sorry to bother you."</p><p>Winry mumbled something Ed was pretty sure was a threat, but he let it go.</p><p>Al gave him a thumbs up.</p><p> </p><p>The night of the prom was here, and Ed and Winry stood by the door to the auditorium. Al had already gone inside. </p><p>"Shall we go inside?" Winry asked.</p><p>Ed nodded and opened the door, and were almost immediately gestured over by Ling.</p><p>"Ed, Winry! Are you guys having fun?"</p><p>Ed glanced over to the voice, then to Winry, who nodded back. The trio walked over to the other trio.</p><p>Ling and Lan Fan were holding hands, while Greg stood behind them, looking disinterested.</p><p>Lan Fan was wearing a sleeveless dress, showing off her new automail, which was the reason that Winry was currently almost falling asleep on Ed. The two were around the same height now.</p><p>Ed looked behind him as he heard his brother's crutches quickly clicking on the floor. He spotted Nina and Selim running past him, giggling. Following his line of sight on, he spotted two of his teachers, Mustang and Hawkeye.</p><p>The two walked over to him, Mustang holding Hawkeye's dog.</p><p>"How's your date going, Elric?" Mustang chuckled at the sight.</p><p>Ed would punch Mustang if he wasn't a teacher and didn't have someone asleep on him that really needed the rest.</p><p>"Why not go sit in the bleachers until she wakes up?" Hawkeye suggested, rubbing her neck.</p><p>Ed sighed, holding Winry close to him as he kinda dragged her to the bleachers, telling Al to stay away from crowded areas so that he wouldn't get knocked down.</p><p> </p><p>Selim and Nina were at the top of the opposing bleachers, looking down at all the kids.</p><p>"Why are we up here?" Nina asked, watching Selim sitting a level below her, kicking his legs as he tapped his fingers.</p><p>"I'm waiting for a way to cause problems." Selim responded, closing his eye as he thought.</p><p>"Selim, why do you want to do that?" Nina asked, stepping over to him and crouching down.</p><p>"Cause I don't go here. I got dragged here just cause babysitters won't come to the house anymore." Selim responded.</p><p>"They don't? Why not?" Nina asked. She was here because her father was here, and she wanted to come with him.</p><p>"Eh, I don't know. Last time I remember having one I was about 5. I think Evan dropped something on me and it was bad enough to cause an injury. I ran to the sitter, blood pouring down my face and she… she was horrified. No one ever agreed to come back again." Selim's expression changed from fondness to sadness as he felt his patch, slipping his hand under it, trying to mask the pain. "I guess that was just a taste for when I was gonna lose my eye."</p><p>Nina stood back up, pulling her slightly shorter friend up with her.</p><p>"Hey, we came here to wreck chaos didn't we?" Nina said, putting a hand on his shoulder and glancing out to the crowd. "Let's steer clear of Hawkeye and Lan Fan though. Hawkeye recently left the hospital and Lan Fan just got a new arm." </p><p>Selim nodded and he suddenly ran into the crowd, followed by his friend after a second.</p><p> </p><p>Mustang groaned and bonked his head against the wall.</p><p>"Is the dance boring you?" Hawkeye responded in a flat tone, without looking up from petting Hayate.</p><p>"There's just nothing to do here!" He said, gesturing to the dance Hawkeye wasn't paying attention to. "You aren't even looking! You're just sitting on a table with your dog." Mustang shuffled over, petting him as well.</p><p>"I don't have to participate. I just got out of the hospital and I'm not a student."</p><p>"Well, why don't you just leave then?" Hawkeye looked up, staring at Mustang as he looked back.</p><p>"Because I'm a teacher, and so are you. We had to make sure these little idiots don't destroy anything."</p><p>CRASH!</p><p>"Oh, hell." </p><p> </p><p>Selim had managed to knock down one of the speakers that was propped up, knocking him out and pinning him in the process. Nina had gone to find any one of his siblings to help, and Mustang practically shoved the kids back to see what the noise was.</p><p>Nina found Bradley quickly, his date staying behind with Hawkeye.</p><p>Bradley lifted the speaker with help from a couple of the other teachers, while Mustang pulled the kid out.</p><p>"How exactly did this happen and how did no one stop him?" Mustang asked Nina, holding Selim like he was a dog.</p><p>Bradley quickly took his brother from Mustang while Nina explained that Selim bit anyone who tried to stop him.</p><p>Bradley doesn't carry Selim around that often but at least he's done it before.</p><p>"I'll take him to the hospital now." Bradley walked out of the room, his siblings and girlfriend following.</p><p>"Selim will be okay, right?" Nina asked, tugging on Mustang's coat.</p><p>"He'd be fine if he didn't do such stupid things." </p><p>Lauren went home in her own car. Bradley's car was crowded enough when all 6 of his siblings were in it at once.</p><p>Selim was in the front seat as usual, especially since Bradley needed to see when he woke up.</p><p> </p><p>Ed was still in the bleachers during this, watching from afar as Winry was still asleep. Occasionally, some of his friends would come by to talk to him, and Ed would mumble a response back. Al never went up the bleachers, instead talking to his brother from the side.</p><p>At least Ed had his phone with him for entertainment when his friends weren't talking to him, and he had also watched Bradley carry Selim out the room, while his girlfriend and siblings filed out.</p><p>Ling came up to him, accompanied by Lan Fan, and sat down next to the two. Unlike the previous times they were there, the two were silent and quiet, Ling having a blank but bothered expression, while Lan Fan looked upset, holding the part of her automail that covered her shoulder.</p><p>Ed figured what was happening.</p><p>"What's wrong with Lan Fan?" Ed asked anyway.</p><p>"Pain." Was the response.</p><p>"Ah, got it. That happened to me too when I first lost my limbs. Still happens, but I've gotten used to it now." Ed scooted Winry a little closer to him, in case the two wanted to be closer to the corner.</p><p> </p><p>While Ed was trying to comfort Lan Fan, Al was standing near the doorway of the dance, when a three-year-old walked up to him.</p><p>"Um, hello. What's your name?" Al assumed she was a staff member's kid.</p><p>"Elicia! Elicia Hughes." The kid said, raising her arms up over her head.</p><p>"Oh! You must be Hughes' daughter! He's not one of my teachers, but I've seen him around." </p><p>He's also seen Elicia that time Hughes showed him the photos in his wallet, but he wasn't really paying attention, to be honest.</p><p>"There you are!" Came a familiar voice.</p><p>Al's attention snapped to infront of him.</p><p>"Teacher?" He asked.</p><p>"Y'know, I'm not your teacher anymore. You can just call me Izumi or something."</p><p>Izumi folded her arms, looking down at Al. She had a dark reddish brown stained rag in her pocket.</p><p>"I know, I know. Hey, why are you watching Elicia?" Al assumed that's what she meant by her first exclamation.</p><p>"I'm not. I was looking for you, but I suppose I should bring this kid to her dad. He's around here, right?"</p><p>Al nodded, as yet another person approached him. Well, two and a dog.</p><p>"I see Izumi found you." Mustang glanced at Al's former teacher as he spoke.</p><p>"I wasn't lost. Ed told me to stay away from the crowd, so I've been by the door this whole time."</p><p>Mustang coughed. "Anyway. Hawkeye and I are leaving now. Izumi can watch in my place."</p><p>"Where are you going?" Al asked, facing Mustang.</p><p>"Hawkeye still needs rest, and I'm driving her home."</p><p>Al glanced up above him, seeing Ed with Winry still asleep on him.</p><p>"Do you think you can bring us home too? I don't think Brother or Winry are enjoying the dance. Winry's been asleep on him the whole time."</p><p>Mustang sighed before agreeing, helping Ed bring Winry down. Ling and Lan Fan were going home as well, Lan Fan's pain was preventing them from enjoying it.</p><p>So that's why Mustang had a car full of kids. It took a while before they actually headed home, as Mustang needed to call everyone's parents/grandparents and the like to let them know they were leaving early.</p><p> </p><p>They drove to the Rockbell resident first. On the way, Winry woke up, and sleepily asked why they were in a car. Ed responded that they were going back home, where Winry could sleep on a bed and not on his shoulder. Al sat next to them, staring out the window.</p><p>Lan Fan and Ling were in the middle. Lan Fan was still holding her shoulder, staring out the window, while Ling watched her in worry.</p><p>Hawkeye had fallen asleep on the passenger side, petting her dog in her sleep.</p><p>Upon arriving at the first stop, Ling helped Winry out, then Al as he did when they first got in. Ed followed afterward, waving to the car before heading inside as Den, who was lying on her fore paws, waiting for them outside, followed them in.</p><p> </p><p>They then headed to the Yao Home. Well, it was Lan Fan's grandfather's place. Lan Fan was sitting up, doing so as she watched Ling help the others out.</p><p>"So how's Amestris been treating you four? Did Mei come to the dance?" Mustang tried to make small talk.</p><p>"It's been fine. I don't think she did." Ling responded, a little bit distantly.</p><p>The car slowed down as Mustang spotted Fu and Mei in front of a house.</p><p>"I guess I could've waited for that answer." He chuckled to himself as the two exited the car.</p><p>"See you Monday." Mustang called out after them.</p><p> </p><p>Now he just had to bring Hawkeye home.</p><p>When he did, he carefully put Hayate inside her room, and went back out to gently pick her up, avoiding any contact with her neck or shoulder.</p><p>Somehow, she was still sleeping while he did this, so he put her in her bed, shut the door, and drove home.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Dreams and Confusion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Concern rises.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Winry woke up, sitting up and staring ahead. It was the night after prom, and she was starting to get a regular sleep schedule again. It was more like she forced herself awake during the day, and to sleep at night.</p><p>It was still night, the air silent aside from the occasional quiet whimper or claw click from a sleeping Den.</p><p>She slid her hands across her face, holding her shoulders as she tried to think if she should go back to bed or not. She had woken up because of a nightmare, a nightmare she'd rather not see again.</p><p>Slowly getting out of bed, Winry walked out the room and down the stairs as quietly as she could. She peeked into Ed and Al's room, the window gently illuminating the room. It wasn't much, but she could see Al asleep in his bed, while his brother was half way onto the floor, also asleep.</p><p>Finally reaching the table of the dining room, Winry sat down, resting her arms on the table. Closing her eyes, she saw bits of the nightmare again, opening her eyes back almost immediately.</p><p>Quiet clicking of claws behind her told her that Den had followed her here.</p><p>And with Den was Ed.</p><p>"Winry, it's like 1 in the morning. What are you doing up?" He asked, sitting in the chair opposite of her while Den rested her head in Winry's lap.</p><p>"Bad dreams. It's nothing to worry about." She responded, patting the dog on the head.</p><p>"I think it is, if you're up and down here. What was the dream about?"</p><p>Winry looked down briefly, knowing that Ed was right.</p><p>"Well, um, it started fairly normal, with me walking around an unfamiliar town. I think I was looking for you and Al. I went down an alleyway, hearing you and Al faintly talking to someone who didn't speak. Not loud enough to be heard, anyway. I walked up to you two as soon as you accused the man of… murdering my parents." Winry's voice was a little bit shaky as she ended the sentence. Den gave her a comforting lick, while Ed's previously annoyed expression softened as he waited for her to continue.</p><p>"I don't remember what the man looked like, when I try to recall him it's just a blank. I questioned if what you said was true, and he had confirmed it. I started crying… fell down to the ground…" Like in her dream, Winry was crying, but tried to hide it as best she could by keeping her voice steady.</p><p>"There was a gun. I pointed it at him… if it wasn't for you two I would have shot him. He tried to kill me, but you stopped him. Moved in front of me. Al chased him off. After that it gets fuzzy, I just remember you talking to me but I don't remember what you said."</p><p>Winry felt something on her head. Ed was standing next to her, somehow walking over without being audible. He had his hand on her head, something he's done since they were kids when he comforted her.</p><p>Winry leaned against him, Ed saying that he'd stay here with her tonight, while Winry eventually fell asleep on the table, not waking up til the next day.</p><p> </p><p>Winry wasn't the only one having bad dreams.</p><p>Nina had been woken up by a particularly frightening one, where she was fused with her dog into a chimera.</p><p>Her father's door was closed, which meant he was doing something work related, like grading projects, and didn't want to be interrupted (Nina was supposed to be asleep anyway).</p><p>She reached to her bedside counter and fiddled with the phone, dialing up the only kid who'd be awake at this time: Selim Bradley. She knew this because Selim has messaged her around this time a few times before.</p><p>"Hello? Selim?" She spoke into the phone after a few moments when the other finally answered.</p><p>"Hello?" Came the response.</p><p>"I had a nightmare… can I talk to you until I feel better?"</p><p>There wasn't a response.</p><p>"Selim?" Nina called for him.</p><p>"Hmm?" Selim finally responded.</p><p>"Selim! What was with the silence?"</p><p>"Sorry… I was feeling tired and debated going to bed. Who are you again?" He asked, confused.</p><p>"It's Nina? Nina Tucker? Selim, are you okay?" She was worried.</p><p>"Nina… I think I remember that… hey, you wouldn't happen to know why there's a bandage on my head?"</p><p>"Bandage? Do you mean your eyepatch?" Nina was standing up now, pacing back and forth.</p><p>"No, it's a bandage around my head. Not the eyepatch. I can tell why that's there."</p><p>Bandage. Nina audibly slapped herself in the head. Selim had a concussion from Prom! That's why he had trouble with memories.</p><p>"Yeah, I know. You've been injured." Nina responded, sitting back down on her bed, running her hands through her sleeping dog's fur. "Are you okay?"</p><p>"Head hurts but otherwise okay, I guess. Why'd you call again?" Selim asked.</p><p>"Doesn't matter anymore. I can ask my dad about it tomorrow. I should probably get going."</p><p>"Wait, wait. I hear something walking around." Selim went silent.</p><p>"I think that's just your siblings or something." Nina suggested. Who else would it be?</p><p>"Right right, I've got those don't I? I guess I'll hang up now." Selim did so without Nina getting to respond to him again. </p><p>"Someone ought to be watching that boy." Nina sighed, lying against Alexander, whose tail curled around her.</p><p>"I'll go check on him tomorrow." Nina fell asleep.</p><p> </p><p>The next day was Sunday, so she was able to visit Selim without worrying about school.</p><p>She knocked on the door, Selim's older sister Lucy answering it.</p><p>"Nina, right?" She asked the child, who nodded.</p><p>"Yeah. I'm here to check on Selim. Called him last night and he definitely has a concussion."</p><p>Lucy responded that she knew that, but let her in anyway.</p><p>Nina headed to the living room, where the siblings were all arguing with each other, save for Lucy and Bradley, as Lucy had answered the door while Bradley was quiet, reading a newspaper instead. Selim wasn't on his couch-bed, but behind it, as if he was trying to hide.</p><p>Nina tapped his shoulder, nearly knocking the kid down from suprise.</p><p>"Selim, are you okay? What's wrong?"</p><p>"It's way too loud in here." Selim looked up at her, frowning.</p><p>To her, it was the regular volume of yelling, one that Nina knew Selim could stand. Right now, he couldn't though, so she grabbed his arm and dragged him out.</p><p>"Where are we going?" Selim asked.</p><p>"We're going to my house, where it's quiet." </p><p> </p><p>When they arrived, Tucker called Nina over. She brought Selim over with her, so he wouldn't trip or anything.</p><p>"Hey, Daddy." Nina waved at her father. "Did you need something?"</p><p>"Oh, well, you mentioned wanting to talk to me today, but I didn't get a chance before you left." He noticed Selim beside her. "Is that Bradley's son? From Back to School Night?" </p><p>"Brother, actually, remember? He's a little bit injured so I decided to take him here for a break from his loud family.</p><p>"What happened to him?" Tucker crouched down. "His eyepatch, I mean." Tucker had been at the dance where Selim got the concussion.</p><p>"Car Accident. I still want to talk to you, but later, okay Daddy?" Nina hugged him, while Selim was distracted by the huge white dog approaching him, sniffing.</p><p>"Hello, doggy…" Selim nervously patted the much bigger dog, while Nina grabbed the dog by his body, climbing onto his back.</p><p>"Alexander! You finally get to meet him Selim!"</p><p>"He's very soft. What's his name? Alex… Alex..ander?" Selim trailed off while saying the dog's name, suddenly holding onto Alexander's neck to balance himself. "Nina, can we go sit down?"</p><p>"Yeah, of course. Alexander, to my room, boy!" She called, and Alexander ran off, dragging Selim along with them.</p><p>Once in Nina's room, they sat on her bed, while Alexander lied down by the side.</p><p>"How are you feeling today, Selim?" Nina asked him, before slapping away his hands while they messed with his patch. "Don't touch that."</p><p>"Ow… I'm uh, doing okay." Selim lied. He had headaches, balance problems, and dizziness, which is why he almost fell down earlier.</p><p>"Mm. Good." Nina responded, unsure if she trusted that.</p><p>"Do you want to stay here until you get better? I don't think it's good to stay around that loud of a family when you're sensitive to noise."</p><p>Selim thought about it for a second.</p><p>"Where would I sleep? I don't think I slept in a bed back at home…"</p><p>"You'd sleep… hmm." Nina folded her arms as she thought. She didn't want him sleeping on the floor, but she didn't want him in her bed either…</p><p>"I got it! You can sleep on Alexander! He's soft enough and I don't want you in my bed. You're filthy."</p><p>"A bit rude, but understandable." Selim responded.</p><p> </p><p>The door creaked open late at night, Nina quietly trying to reenter the room after finally having that conversation about her nightmare with her dad. </p><p>Selim mumbled, holding an arm over his eye to block the light from the hallway.</p><p>"Sorry Selim…" Nina said as she noticed that she failed and Selim had woken up. "I was talking to Daddy, and he said your brother didn't care if you stayed here." Probably best, anyway.</p><p>Selim mumbled again, burying his face into Alexander's fur.</p><p>Nina layed down on her bed, staring at the small boy sleeping on her large dog's back. He'd be going back to school in a week or two, but at least it wouldn't be as bad as when he went to school after he lost half his face. The kids would not leave him alone.</p><p>It'll be better next time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Scar didn't mention it to Mei but he was also in the war with his brother.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Mall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A gathering go shopping.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ed, Al, and Winry were waiting to be able to go inside the school, passing the time by talking. The conversation was cut when Ed overheard something said by a nearby Greg.</p><p>He suddenly stood up and walked over, pointing at Greg and demanding him to repeat what he said.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Repeat that! About your father's brother!"</p><p>"Oh. I just said that I was looking up my dad in the yearbook cause my kid brother was asking about him, and that I found out that Pops has a twin by the name of Van Hohenheim."</p><p>"Van…" Ed held his head in his hands as he heard the sounds of shoes and crutches.</p><p>"What's the matter brother?" Al asked, tone worried.</p><p>"Apparently… our father was brothers with Greg's father. Which makes us…" </p><p>"Cousins." Winry finished, looking at Ed and Al, then Greg. "Well, that's interesting to know."</p><p>"Great. Now I've got seven dumbasses for cousins.” Ed sighed.</p><p>“Come on brother, it’s not that bad…” Al tried to cheer him up, looking down at Greg, who was sitting on the floor with Ling and Lan Fan. “What have your siblings been doing? I’m sure it’s great.”</p><p>“Uhh, let’s see. Gabriel’s been eating, Sampson sleeping… Oh, and Selim almost died yesterday choking on pizza rolls.” Greg shrugged. “I was supposed to be watching him until Tucker got him. I guess I fell asleep.”</p><p>“He choked on pizza rolls??? Doesn’t he have a concussion too cause he tried to climb on a speaker? And he’s got that missing eye. I bet that was his fault too.” Ed held a hand to his face.</p><p>“Well, the eye thing was actually King’s fault. Speaking of King, he’s taking us to the mall tomorrow. You three want to come? I’m already taking these two, why not take cousins and a friend? We’d have to walk though.”</p><p>“Fine with me, I guess.” Ed responded, while Al and Winry nodded.</p><p> </p><p>The next day Ed, Al, and Winry greeted Pinako and Den before heading off to Lan Fan’s home, where Greg usually slept.</p><p>“Hey, took you long enough. King and them are already on their way. We have to go pick up the kid from the Tucker’s.”</p><p>Once they arrived at the Tucker’s home, they knocked on the door, greeted by their tired looking science teacher.</p><p>“Here to pick up Selim for the day? I think he and Nina are still asleep.” Tucker yawned, but covered it as he walked away from the door, leaving it open. They could hear a soft door creaking inside and Tucker gently telling Selim that it was time to go with his brother. Tucker soon came back to the door with Selim standing in front of him, rubbing his eye in sleepiness.</p><p>“Man, you wake me up earlier and earlier.” Selim sounded annoyed, his eye purple. “It’s a little bright out here.” He continued, holding an arm over his face.</p><p>Greg rolled his eyes, suspecting Selim’s complaint about the brightness being from his symptoms.</p><p>“Come on, we’re going to the mall. I’ve got some headphones to block some of the noise if it gets too much for you to handle.” Greg tossed the headphones behind him, leading to Selim nearly tripping trying to grab it. </p><p>“Don’t do that! My vision’s horrible.” Selim growled in response.</p><p>Greg only chuckled.</p><p> </p><p>Once reaching the mall, they saw Greg and Selim’s siblings waiting by the door.</p><p>“About time you got here.” Evan folded their arms as they were approached. “Let’s go inside already.”</p><p>They were split into groups of three once inside.</p><p>Group 1 was Greg, Ling, and Lan Fan, group 2 was Winry, Ed, and Al, group 3 was King, Lucy, and Evan, and group 4 was Sampson, Gabriel, and Selim.</p><p>Greg wandered the different stores, mentioning things that he would buy if King had given him enough money. Ling and Lan Fan simply sighed.</p><p>A young boy and his brother ran up the trio, tugging on Lan Fan’s jacket, nearly getting himself kicked.</p><p>“Um, excuse me Miss, but why is your arm shiny and grey?” The boy asked.</p><p>“I, well, hmm. I was in an accident a few weeks ago, and lost use of my arm. I had to get it replaced.” She explained, holding the arm up, staring at Winry’s creation.</p><p>“Oh.” The kid responded, and Lan Fan soon started walking again, followed by Ling.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile Winry, Ed, and Al had just been knocked onto the floor after accidentally running into a huge adult.</p><p>“Ah, Ed and Al.”</p><p>The brothers snapped up. “Mr. Curtis?”</p><p>“Mmhmm. Izumi and I were browsing around here when she spotted you and we came over to greet you.”</p><p>“Wait, Teacher’s here too? Where is she then?” Al asked, before feeling something wet drip onto his head. Popping off one of his crutches, he felt the top of his head, feeling dread when he found his fingers to be dabbled with blood.</p><p>“She’s right behind you!” Izumi responded, as Al looked up to see his former teacher standing above him smiling, blood dripping out of her mouth and onto Al’s head.</p><p>“Man, Teacher, that was rude.” Ed chuckled as he watched her pull out her red stained rag and wiped her face.</p><p>“So what are you three up to?” Sig asked, helping Winry up.</p><p>“We’re with a couple of friends.” She responded.</p><p>“I see, we’ll leave you be then.”</p><p>The couple walked off, while the three waved them off.</p><p> </p><p>King was silent as his group looked at the stores. Or rather, he stood outside the store while his younger siblings looked around inside. Evan spent their time mocking the other customers with perfect mimicry.</p><p>In one store, they ran into Sheska, their school’s librarian, who was at the mall looking for some new books. </p><p>“Hello kids, I wasn’t expecting to see you two here.” She smiled, getting an eye roll from Evan.</p><p>“We should be saying that to you!” They responded. “Teachers and other staff are not to be seen outside of school.”</p><p>“Well that’s not how it works… I can go where I want to.” Sheska responds in confusion.</p><p>Lucy pushed down Evan. "I'm sorry. They can be a pain sometimes. It was good to see you." Lucy quickly dragged Evan out the room.</p><p> </p><p>King's youngest siblings were sitting in the food court at Gabriel's request, however it was also an advantage to Sampson as he could sleep on the table.</p><p>Selim was munching on crumbs Gabriel dropped on the floor and table, when an adult man in a white suit approached, questioning Selim's eating off the floor. Selim simply bit him, really hard.</p><p>The man yelped and yanked his hand away, calling Selim "a horrible child" before grumbling off. </p><p>Selim growled, before sighing and digging in the backpack King gave him. He pulled out the headphones and put them on, sitting back down at the table.</p><p>"Is the noise bothering you Selim?" Gabriel asked after tapping his brother's shoulder and he lowered his headphones.</p><p>"You could say that." He answered, lifting them back up to mute the world as he fell asleep, feeling drowsy.</p><p> </p><p>The groups met up after an hour and a half. Gabriel was carrying Selim around as he wasn't able to wake him like he did with Sampson. He still was wearing the headphones, and mumbling in his sleep.</p><p>"I hope you guys had fun today." King said as they headed out of the mall.</p><p>"Selim bit some guy." Gabriel responded.</p><p>The Bradley's went home, aside from Greg, who went with Lan Fan and Ling, and Selim, who was dropped off at the Tucker's. Ed, Al, and Winry went back to their home as well.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Island Start</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Like Alchemy Training, but not.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Here are permission slips for a trip to the island, sponsored by Curtis Meats." Hawkeye passed out the papers to each student, who read them over as she continued speaking. "Get your guardian to sign them and return them by the end of the week."</p><p> </p><p>After school, Pinako dropped Ed and Al off at Curtis Meats.</p><p>Entering the building, they were greeted by Sig, who was sitting behind the counter during a break.</p><p>"Hello Mr. Curtis." Al greeted him, the younger Elric waving at the much larger man.</p><p>"Hello Alphonse. Izumi! The boys are visiting!" Sig called out to his wife, who was in the back.</p><p>Izumi soon arrived, greeting the two before questioning why they were there.</p><p>"We got these permission slips for a trip that's sponsored by your butcher shop. What's it about?" Ed questioned, holding up Al's slip, as Ed had already put his up.</p><p>"The island? Well, that's really it. You go to an island for a month and stay there. If someone is in real trouble, there will be flares provided for emergencies. It's like camping. At the first of each week, a crate of supplies will arrive. We don't want you kids to starve out there." Izumi explained. "There's also a plus one, if one wanted to invite a friend or sibling who doesn't go to the High School but wanted to attend."</p><p>"Ah, thanks Teacher." Ed handed Al back his slip. "I don't think I'll be using the plus one though. My brother and friend are my age." Well, Al was a year younger, but it wasn't worth mentioning.</p><p>Izumi nodded, rinsing off a deep reddish brown stained rag in the sink as Ed and Al waved and left.</p><p> </p><p>"Granny, I need you to sign this." Winry handed her grandmother her slip, as Ed and Al would when they got home as she was their guardian.</p><p>"Sure, but what's it for?" She asked, and Winry explained.</p><p> </p><p>Fu had signed Ling and Lan Fan's, and added Mei onto Ling's as his plus one.</p><p>King did the same with his siblings, as their Father was obviously not going to come out to sign it. Selim was added on to Lucy's slip, as she was the second oldest.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't you think it's dangerous to go on the trip?" Nina had asked Selim as she watched him gather his things at the end of the day.</p><p>Selim looked at her, tilting his head like a confused dog. "What do you mean? I'm fine."</p><p>"Well, yeah, sorta. Your symptoms aren't as common anymore, but you're still missing an eye." Nina gestured to his eyepatch, her hand swatted down in annoyance.</p><p>"Bluh. I'll be fine."</p><p>"Do you think I can come? I don't have any older siblings, so I was thinking one of your siblings could add me." Nina asked.</p><p>"I'll ask."</p><p> </p><p>At the end of the month, the kids were taken to the boat where they were brought to the island, Izumi reminding them about the crates and that the flares were only for emergencies only. She informed them that she would be back the next month to get them.</p><p>They had already separated themselves into their usual groups (Nina being with the Bradleys), and they were making shelters.</p><p>Or for right now, simply finding a shelter already made to sleep in.</p><p>Ed, Al, and Winry were in a small gathering of bushes, Ling, Lan Fan, and Mei were in a tree, and the Bradley's and Nina were simply sleeping in a small clearing.</p><p> </p><p>The next day, Ling and Lan Fan dropped out of the tree, waking a still sleeping Mei, landing right in front of Ed, Al, and Winry, who had been walking by.</p><p>"What the hell!" Ed shouted, stomping the ground in anger.</p><p>"We were going exploring." Ling shrugged.</p><p>"Did you have to drop out the sky like that?" Ed continued to yell at him, before Winry put a hand on his shoulder, and he frowned and looked down.</p><p>Lan Fan pointed up with her automail hand at the tree that had Mei staring from above. "We just left our shelter." She explained.</p><p>"You guys are living up in the trees?" Al asked.</p><p>The two nodded, and they went their separate ways.</p><p>Ed, Al, and Winry were also exploring the island like Ling and Lan Fan. Despite the terrain, Al was roaming the island fairly well. Maybe they'll stop getting Pinako to drive them to and from school if Al could handle the walk.</p><p>They headed deeper into the woods on the island, getting a little uneasy in the growing darkness.</p><p>Their uneasiness was soon confronted by a large masked man with a bat, who quickly slammed the bat in front of him to warn them to leave. They did so.</p><p>Sitting back at their bush home, they decided to talk to each other instead of exploring.</p><p> </p><p>Lucy and Gabriel were in the forest, Greg was looking around for Ling, and Evan and Sampson were sitting on the coastline, Sampson sleeping while Evan dug around in the sand. Selim and Nina were sitting against a tree, drawing shapes in the dirt with a stick Selim found.</p><p>"So how are you liking the trip so far?" Selim asked, staring up at the sky that was fading into sunset.</p><p>"It's pretty okay. It's only the first day after all." Nina turned behind her as she heard someone approach. It was Selim's older brother Greg.</p><p>"Hey, kids, do you know where Ling and Lan Fan are? One's got a ponytail and one… actually, Selim you should know Lan Fan. She was in the accident with you."</p><p>Selim nodded, confirming this information. "Yeah. I think they went that way." Selim pointed to the forest.</p><p>Greg headed into that direction, as Selim went back to his drawings, seeming more distant that before.</p><p>"Hey, you okay?"</p><p>"I'm fine."</p><p> </p><p>Bored. Evan was bored, having been assigned to watch their younger brother Sampson. This didn't make sense to Evan, as Sampson was their age, and all he did was sleep.</p><p>Evan had even prodded their brother a few times, to no avail. At least they didn't share a room with Sampson, like King does. They share it with Greg, and occasionally Selim when Greg's at his friend's house.</p><p>"Come on, wake up! I'm bored, and you sleeping is not helping at all." They sighed, shoving Sampson back and forth.</p><p>"Having difficulties?"</p><p>Evan looked up to see a small child standing above him. She was a little bit taller than Selim and Nina, and had a panda on her shoulder.</p><p>"No, I'm not." Evan frowned, staring up at the girl. "Who are you?"</p><p>"I'm Ling's younger sister. Half-sister, actually." She responded. "I'm Mei Chang. This is Xiao Mei." Mei gestured to the panda.</p><p>"Evan."</p><p>"It's nice to meet you Evan! Who's this?" She asked, pointing down at the sleeping teenager.</p><p>"That's my younger brother Sampson. He's usually like this. The rest of my siblings are around here somewhere, except for my oldest, as he's a teacher at my school." Evan would've been annoyed talking to some little kid they didn't know, but they didn't have anyone else to talk to.</p><p>"I see. Ling is around here somewhere, with his friends Lan Fan and Greg." Mei responded.</p><p>Evan made a snorting sound. "Of course my brother is with Ling. He's always with him." </p><p>Mei sat down, deciding to keep Evan company.</p><p> </p><p>That night, everyone was in their shelters, getting used to sleeping on the floor and trees.</p><p> </p><p>The next day, the groups woke up, to face another day of exploring.</p><p>Al was sleeping on Ed's coat, and Winry had some leaves Ed dumped on her while she was asleep.</p><p>Lan Fan and Ling were in the branches, while Mei was against the trunk.</p><p>The Bradley's were all sprawled out in their clearing, while Nina was in a nearby bush.</p><p>Selim woke up early to make sure he could put his patch on before anyone else woke up, and Lan Fan also woke up to put her hoodie on, as she took it off when sleeping.</p><p> </p><p>Lan Fan was wandering the forest early on, before Ling was awake. She had heard from Ed that there was a creature roaming around, and she wanted to see how she did against it.</p><p>It didn't take much time to find the creature, it almost immediately threw a swing at her before she managed to dodge it. Upon closer inspection, it was a masked man.</p><p>He attempted to smack her with his bat again, only for him to not be able to find Lan Fan.</p><p>SWIPE!</p><p>Lan Fan slashed at his back with the claws on her automail as he was looking for her, catching him off guard.</p><p>He growled and attempted to attack again, when his arm was slashed by the same claws.</p><p>Retreating, he ran off into the forest, while Lan Fan inspected her automail. Nothing was damaged, just a little bit covered in blood.</p><p>She returned to the tree, falling back asleep as it was still early in the morning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Bar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>[Thwack]</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As most of the kids were on the island, it was deemed a no school month. Everyone was spending it in their own ways, and Roy was sitting in his adoptive mother's bar.</p><p>Riza was with him, tapping her cup of water in the silence.</p><p>The two had known each other for years, meeting each other when they were 8 and 12.</p><p>"Are you going to get anything other than the water?" Roy questioned, looking over at Riza.</p><p>"I'm fine with the water, thanks." She responded with a small smirk. "Are you going to drink too much?" </p><p>Roy smiled back, sipping his alcohol, before setting the cup down and looking at the blonde.</p><p>"And why shouldn't I? I don't have to worry about my students and their little brothers interrupting my class for a whole month. Why aren't you celebrating?"</p><p>"I have a family to take care of." Riza responded, sipping her water.</p><p>She meant Black Hayate, of course. Both of her parents were dead and she had no siblings.</p><p>"Yeah, right." He was being genuine.</p><p>Along with sipping her water, Riza was also writing on some papers.</p><p>"What's that?" Mustang asked.</p><p>"Grading papers."</p><p>"What work could you possibly be grading?"</p><p>"Leftover work."</p><p>Roy sipped his alcohol again, sliding forward, closer to Riza.</p><p>"Come on. You can grade the work when the kids are here."</p><p>"I'm not going to procrastinate like you, Roy." She responded, glancing at him.</p><p>"Aw, come on. It'll be for one night."</p><p>"No."</p><p> </p><p>An hour or so later, Roy's speech was slurred and he failed to sit in his chair properly.</p><p>"This is what I warned you about." Riza slid Roy's arm off of her shoulder once again. It hung limp at his side.</p><p>"You… you didn't warn me bout nothin. I've done this b'fore."</p><p>Riza simply rolled her eyes. "You're drunk. Do you want me to drive you home?" At this point she was done with the papers.</p><p>Roy paused, staring at the ground as he stumbled slightly. "Maybe." </p><p>"I'll take you to my house so I can watch you. You like playing with fire and someone's gonna get burned. Again." Riza approached him and held him by the arms, in an attempt to steady the taller man.</p><p>"I said I was sorry…" Roy mumbled, watching Riza in confusion.</p><p>"It was years ago. It's fine." She pushed him forward mid sentence, and thus Roy was caught off guard, and nearly fell down had he not caught the table.</p><p>While they were trying to leave the bar, a larger man blocked them, smirking at the two.</p><p>"Does someone need to go home? Your mom driving you?" He mocked.</p><p>"I'm actually older than her by a few years…" Roy argued, speech slurred.</p><p>"Leave it." Riza told Roy, glancing behind her to see that Madame Christmas wasn't there.</p><p>"Oh? Should he? Try leaving this!" The man swung at Roy, who somehow managed to duck right as Riza turned back to face the two men, and wasn't as lucky as Roy.</p><p>She was knocked back, stumbling onto a barstool, holding her face.</p><p>"Aw, did I hurt your babysitter?" The man faked guilt, ready to actually hit Roy this time.</p><p>"Hey!!" Roy suddenly fought back, despite his poor balance, and hit the guy in the stomach. "Don't hurt her!" </p><p>She was injured enough, after all. Riza looked at her hand, which had blood leaking between the fingers. Touching her nose instantly stinged, and she glanced around for anything to attempt to stop the bleeding, or atleast slow it a little. Breathing through her nose was obviously difficult, so she resorted to breathing through her mouth.</p><p>Sitting up, she coughed up blood into her already bloody hand, and stood up, holding a napkin to her nose before approaching the two men again, who were currently trying to push the other down. Riza held her hands onto Roy's arms, getting her blood onto them as she pulled him away.</p><p>The man grunted and walked off, laughing to his friends about how he "totally won that fight."</p><p>Roy smiled to himself, thinking he won, before realizing that the pressure on his arms were rather… wet.</p><p>"Riza?" He turned around slightly (she wasn't letting him move too much) and flinched when he saw the result of the punch to the face.</p><p>Riza looked tired, and her face and a little bit of her shirt was covered in blood, as were her hands.</p><p>"Riza… Riza I'm sorry, I should'da took that punch instead of duckin." Roy's speech was still slurred, and despite being held in place by Riza, he was still having balance issues. "It's like when I burned you as kids." </p><p>Riza looked down. "No, Roy, it's not. You weren't aware I was still standing there, and you didn't mean to burn me." She quietly responded.</p><p>"I'm takin YOU home now, and I'm gonna fix ya." Roy wriggled free of Riza's grip, slinging an arm around her uninjured shoulder and dragging her to the exit, calling to his mom that he was leaving, and he got a faint response back that Riza wasn't sure what was said.</p><p>"I assume we're walking home then? There's no way I'm letting you drive this drunk." Riza responded, looking up at him, gently holding a napkin to her nose.</p><p>"I… nevermind. Yeah, I guess we are." Roy answered, looking ahead into the night as they set upon their journey. "It's not too far, right?" </p><p>"Shouldn't be. If we hurry, we'll get there sooner. I still need to feed Braha."</p><p>"No, we aren't hurryin. And I'm gonna feed your dog, you need rest." Roy began walking to Riza's house, though it was mostly her guiding him. </p><p> </p><p>After sometime, they arrive at Riza's home, and she sat on her couch, Hayate almost immediately running up to his injured owner and licking her leg.</p><p>"I'm fine, Braha." She gave the dog a smile.</p><p>"Riza?" Roy's voice came from the other room. "Where's the dog food?"</p><p>Riza peeked into the hallway where the voice came from, now sporting a small ice pack on her face.</p><p>"It's in the closet, Roy." Riza responded to his question as if it was that obvious (which it kinda was.)</p><p>Roy opened the door and grabbed the bag, stumbling slightly as he attempted to pick up the bag. "I knew that."</p><p>"Are you sure you don't need help?" Riza asked, drying off her hands before wrapping the ice pack mentioned earlier in a rag so she wouldn't have to rinse it off later.</p><p>"No, I got it. You need rest." Roy walked into the living room, dumping the kibble into the dog bowl.</p><p>"You need rest too." In the hand she wasn't using to hold up the ice pack, she was holding a cup of water. She coughed another small bit of blood into her hand, but quickly wiped it on her pants while Roy was distracted.</p><p> </p><p>Once that was done, the two decided to head for bed. Roy curled up on the couch, and Riza slept in her bed, sitting up against the wall the whole night.</p><p> </p><p>The next day, Roy was still asleep when Riza woke up, and because this had happened before, she knew not to make loud noises or turn on lights while she put up her ice pack for a new one. She however left the pack on the table as she went into the living room to lay on the couch next to Roy (she's propped up on the armrest) and fell asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Hanging Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Three different groups hanging out in three different ways.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a week since the night at the bar. Roy was still staying over at Riza's house. Her nose was healing, and she had a bandage over it.</p><p>"Are you going to get that realigned?" Roy asked, stroking Black Hayate, who was asleep.</p><p>"I don't know. I don't have much time to think about it now." </p><p>"It's a cool scar. Injury." Roy corrected himself, trying to cheer her up.</p><p>"I think I have enough scars, Roy. This might cause my students to question my injuries again." Riza was fiddling with the hospital band on her arm. She had returned home a few days ago, but was still wearing the band.</p><p>"I'd imagine so." Roy sipped his water, pausing as Hayate fidgeted in his sleep.</p><p>Riza flipped the page of the book she was holding. "How much longer are the kids going to be at that island?"</p><p>"I think two more weeks." Roy answered.</p><p>Riza nodded, and there was a knock on the door.</p><p>"I got it." Riza got up, as her dog was asleep on Roy's leg.</p><p>Behind the door were her and Roy's friends, Kain, Jean, Maes, Heymans, and Vato.</p><p>"Heard that you came back from the hospital a few days ago." Jean walked in as Riza stepped out the way.</p><p>"Yes, I did."</p><p>"You sure go to the hospital a lot, Riza." He continued.</p><p>"Mmhmm."</p><p>"Two more weeks until we have to deal with kids again." Maes changed the subject, noticing the distant look in Riza's expression. "I don't mind, though. I like the kids."</p><p>"That's because you have to deal with one on a daily basis. You're used to them." Roy called from the couch, sitting up and moving his arms around the pup in his lap to hold him as Roy stood up.</p><p>"I know, I know, but my little Elicia is different from the teens and occasional child I have to deal with at the High School." Maes chuckled.</p><p>"Why is there a child at the high school?" Kain questioned.</p><p>"You know King? The social studies teacher?" The others nodded. "His youngest brother hangs out sometimes. Used to be a bright kid but now he's just really bitter."</p><p>They gathered around the tv, watching miscellaneous tv shows.</p><p> </p><p>Back on the island, Selim and Nina were wandering the forest. They hadn't heard of the man or that Lan Fan had injured him, and were rather enjoying their walk.</p><p>Selim groaned, holding his head in his hands, slightly shifting the strap on his patch. "I thought after a few weeks I'd be free of the concussion. I've still got a headache."</p><p>"Maybe it's just the new setting." Nina suggested, knowing that it wasn't a good one.</p><p>"I've been here quite a while. I don't think it's that." Selim glanced up at her, frowning.</p><p>His friend shrugged back. "I'm not a medical professional."</p><p>If they knew that Winry had read a lot of medical books when she was younger, they'd ask her.</p><p>They walked in silence for a little bit, Nina slapping the trees she walked by.</p><p>Selim mumbled something, before ducking behind a tree, throwing up.</p><p>"You okay buddy?" Nina called, to a clearly not okay Selim.</p><p>Selim stumbled back out, leaning against the tree.</p><p>"I'm fine." He lied. "Come on."</p><p> </p><p>Ed, Al, and Winry were sitting on the coastline, Ed and Winry watching Al dig holes with his crutches.</p><p>Nearby, the Bradley twins, Greg and Lucy, were swimming in the water, Greg also being accompanied by Ling, while Lan Fan was still sitting on the beach, though was still halfway in the water.</p><p>Envy was reluctantly building a sand castle with Mei, though started enjoying it more when she suggested covering their sleeping brother in sand. Gabriel was beside them, throwing sand into the water.</p><p>Selim and Nina soon emerged from the forest, flopping over on the beach with the others.</p><p> </p><p>It was strange having the house to yourself. Well, mostly to yourself. Probably. King's father may not even be alive anymore. He never opens his door so who knows?</p><p>Maybe he'll go on a date with Lauren. It's finally peaceful at the house, with his siblings being gone when he was home for once. King picked up his phone, and dialed up his girlfriend, asking if she was available for a date tomorrow.</p><p>He looked across the living room as he finished his call and set his phone down, looking at the couch with the pillow on the floor and blanket sprawled about.</p><p>“Mm. Selim should keep his bed more organized.” King walked over, folding the blanket up and setting the pillow on top. “I wonder how messy the other’s beds are.”</p><p> </p><p>Back at Riza’s house, the group were still hanging out, though Roy and Riza were in the kitchen as Riza poured food into her dog’s bowl.</p><p>“How has your break been?” Roy said, facing the shorter woman.</p><p>“Other than having my nose broken, pretty well.” She responded, standing back up.</p><p>The two returned back into the living room, nearly tripping on the small black and white dog dashing by them to his food bowl.</p><p>Once sitting, Roy leaned over to Jean. “What’s on TV?” He asked.</p><p>Jean shrugged in response. “I don’t know. Some weird cartoon.”</p><p> </p><p>On the island, the kids were still at the beach, almost everyone now being in the water. Ed, Al, and Lan Fan were sitting on the beach, with Lan Fan still in halfway.</p><p>Selim and Nina were splashing each other, even though Greg had warned them not to get Selim’s patch wet. Despite his warning, they continued, and when it started to get dark, it was soaked.</p><p>“I warned you two about this. We’ll have to sit this to dry tonight.”</p><p>“Why can’t he continue to wear it in front of the fire?” Nina asked, gesturing to the fire Ed was trying to light.</p><p>“I don’t want him wearing a wet patch on his face. Here.” Greg handed the two towels, and slipped off Selim’s patch, the kid quickly covering his scar with the towel.</p><p>“Both that and the fire should dry you off quickly. I’ll put this near the fire, and hopefully it dries before you go to bed.”</p><p>“I don’t usually wear it to bed, Greg.” Selim responded, tugging the towel closer to him.</p><p>Soon the kids went to sleep around the fire, all wrapped in towels after late night conversations.</p><p> </p><p>Roy and Riza were asleep as well, and so was King.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. One more week.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There's one week left.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another week passes on the island, the kids slowly learning how to survive as much as one can when they regularly get a crate of food and water so that they don’t starve. King still cleans his house with the exception of his father’s room, and talks with his girlfriend when he has time, which he found himself to have more due to how he doesn’t have to look after 6 other people. It was just him. Roy and Riza were still hanging out in Riza’s apartment building, as Roy has yet to go home, despite both of them knowing Riza could take care of herself.</p><p> </p><p>Once everyone had woken up, they all took their usual groups to roam the island and kill time on this last week.</p><p>Ed, Al, and Winry were sitting on the beach with a makeshift fishing line Ed had made, and Winry was using it to try to catch some fish, unsure of what to do when she did catch one. Should she keep it? Or release it? She’d figure it out when she got there.</p><p>Ling and Lan Fan were also on the beach, as were all of the other kids. They were, of course, accompanied by Greg, who still preferred the two rather than his own rancid siblings. The three weren’t really doing anything, just mainly watching the other groups of kids. Ling was watching Evan, Sampson, and Mei, with Evan once again burying Sampson while Mei watched. Greg was watching Nina and Selim, the kids digging a bunch of holes in the sand.</p><p>Lucy and Gabriel were in the water, Gabriel splashing around while Lucy was sleeping halfway into the water. No one was watching her, only occasional glances in her direction to make sure she didn’t fall in.</p><p> </p><p>King, having just finished cleaning his home, was sitting on his chair, briefly resting before his date with Lauren. They were going out to a park, and planning to just hang out without needing to worry about leaving his siblings home alone.</p><p>The doorbell rang and King sat up. That was earlier than he thought. Opening the door, he was greeted by a waving Lauren, who was wearing her usual jacket/dress outfit. King was also wearing his usual, over sized blue coat and dark blue pants. The outfit was slightly tattered from the accident, but it wasn’t too noticeable, so he felt that it was fine to keep wearing.</p><p>“Shall we go?” Lauren asked, stepping back to allow King to exit. </p><p>King only nodded, glancing back into the house before pausing and turning around again.</p><p>“I meant to ask. Why do you keep doing that?” Lauren asked, looking up at him as King turned back around.</p><p>“I apologize, I’m just used to telling my siblings that I was going out.”</p><p>“Right, they’re all on the island, aren’t they? Do you miss them at all? She asked.</p><p>“Yeah, I guess I kinda do. It feels strange to care for someone since the start of their life, and then they just leave. I know they’re coming back, but still.” King responds, walking alongside the road to the park.</p><p>“I see.” </p><p>The talk mellowed down as they walked, distracting King from his empty home.</p><p>Once they reached the park, they sat down on a bench, watching the birds and grass and what not.</p><p>A man and his wife, both of whom were younger than King and Lauren, approached the two along with their three year old daughter. King recognized them from his work. It was Maes, Gracia, and Elicia. He’s only seen Gracia and Elicia once before, at the prom the school hosted.</p><p>“Hey, King, what are you up to?” Maes asked his coworker.</p><p>“Just on a date, Hughes.”</p><p>“Oh, you are? I apologize for interrupting then! We’ll be off then, see you in a week. Say goodbye, Elicia.” Maes picked up his daughter as she waved goodbye to them.</p><p> </p><p>Sitting inside Riza’s apartment building, Roy and Riza were watching TV, using their last week off to just relax. It was the best thing to do, as peace and calm needed to return in their lives after the bar incident.</p><p>Hayate was sleeping on Roy’s head, both of them unsure of how he even got up there. After a few hours, Roy had fallen asleep along with the pup, and Riza was paying more attention to them than she was to the TV. She had gotten him a few years back, during the school year. </p><p>Fellow coworker Kain had arrived late to school on a rainy day, explaining that he had found a stray puppy in the rain and didn’t want to leave it in the cold wet outside. He had asked several of his coworkers if they could keep the pup, as Kain himself couldn’t keep him for reasons he didn’t elaborate on. Each member had an opinion on them, but none of them felt to be good enough.</p><p>Riza had entered the room during this and offered to take the dog off Kain’s hands, and has been taking care of him ever since.</p><p>Hayate sleeping on Roy’s head wasn’t new to any of them. He’s done this almost every time Roy sleeps over. Riza had joked before that Roy’s hair was as soft as the dog’s bed, but the older man had quickly turned it around on questioning if she did in fact think his hair was soft.</p><p>Looking away from the two and back to the TV, she realized it had gone to static, and started to quietly look for the remote to either turn it to a different channel or simply turn it off. It doesn’t take long for her to remember that Roy had the remote last, and so she quietly made her way to the other, pausing to rub her shoulder, which had started to hurt during the day, though she had made no mention of this to Roy.</p><p>She scanned the sleeping man and dog before spotting the remote, which was unfortunately still in Roy’s hand. Riza slowly extended her hand to the remote, tapping it lightly before grabbing it and gently removing it out of his hand, turning around to turn off the TV before she felt something grab her hand.</p><p>“Riza…?” Roy had woken up, at least a little. He was still sleepy as he looked up at Riza without moving his head too much.</p><p>“Oh, sorry. I was just turning off the TV. I didn’t mean to wake you.”</p><p>“...What time is it?” Roy responds.</p><p>“Midnight.”</p><p>“Oh. Should I go then?” He asks.</p><p>Riza shook her head, rubbing her shoulder again after gently tossing the remote onto her chair.</p><p>“No, it’s too late.”</p><p>“What’s wrong with your shoulder?” He asked. Riza was wearing a sleeveless shirt tonight, and the bandages on her shoulder were visible.</p><p>“Oh, just sore today, nothing to worry about.”</p><p>Roy closed his eyes again, but still hadn’t let go of Riza’s hand.</p><p>He had fallen asleep.</p><p>Riza sat down next to him, throwing a blanket onto the two as best as she could when she could only use one hand.</p><p>Riza fell asleep on Roy's shoulder, feeling her dog's hind legs and tail fall onto her head.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Return.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ed sat up and stretched, shuffling around his “roommates” still asleep on the floor. This stirred Al and Winry, who glared at him. Ed simply responded with an annoying smile. Al and Winry got the hint that he wanted them to wake up, and reluctantly they got up, and Al got his crutches on.</p><p>“Why are we up so early?” Al asked his brother, attempting to prevent a yawn.</p><p>“Today is the last day of the trip. We have to spend it well.” Ed explains, earning a eye roll from the other two.</p><p>Ling and Lan Fan suddenly dropped down from the tree above the trio, Ed making a sound of annoyance as Ling waves a hello to the two.</p><p>“What do you two want.” Ed questions, a contrast to the kind greeting Al and Winry did.</p><p>“Well, you said that you wanted to spend the day well. We can do that with you, if you want.” Ling explains, as Lan Fan flips up her hood.</p><p>“Yeah, of course!” Al smiles at the two before Ed could answer them.</p><p>The two Xingese folks waved as Ling ran off to find Mei, while Lan Fan jumped into the trees to follow him.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Selim and Nina were doing what they usually do.</p><p>Currently, Selim was digging in the dirt with a stick he found.</p><p>“Hey, Selim? Why are we digging in the dirt?” Nina asked her friend, who looked up at her before blinking. Is it still blinking if the person in question only has one eye?</p><p>“I’m digging this dirt because…” He stared at her, expression fading into a confused one. “Because, uhm,” Selim put the stick back down, hooking a finger on his eyepatch strap before letting go, rubbing his scarred cheek in regret. “There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why, but I don’t have the knowledge of it.” He eventually responded in a matter of fact tone.</p><p>Nina rolled her eyes at him.</p><p>“Hey, Nina, what are parents like?” Selim’s question had been unexpected to his friend, and Nina looked at him in confusion.</p><p>“Uhm, why do you ask?” She responds, folding her arms and leaning backward.</p><p>“Because I never met mine? The closest I have to them is my oldest brother and his girlfriend.” Now it was Selim’s turn to be confused.</p><p>“Okay, well, my dad is pretty nice. He always makes sure Alexander has enough food and likes hanging out with Alexander and I. Sometimes he’ll let me stay in his room while he’s grading papers, and makes sure I have paper so that I can draw while I wait for him to get done. What does your brother do?” Nina describes her father before looking at Selim as she asks her question.</p><p>Selim shrugs. “When I say he’s the closest thing to a father he’s still pretty far from it. He just makes sure we aren’t killing each other or starving. What was your mother like?” Selim has been to her house enough times to know that Nina doesn’t live with her mother, and that she knows how she was like.</p><p>Nina thinks, as it’s awhile since she’s seen her mother.</p><p>“My mom left my dad about two years ago. She said he didn’t make enough money so there was no reason for her to stay. You know how my dad’s a teacher? Well, she thought he would make more money than he does, enough for her to live a life of luxury. She also said that he had a mediocre face and that he wasn’t tall enough for her. She got bored with him so she found a new lover. She told me not to tell my dad and even bribed me with some extra allowance. But it’s not like she had a job so she was stealing the money from my dad. She said it was alright because he was too stupid to even notice. She was planning to divorce him and take the house instead of alimony. But my dad broke down crying and somehow convinced her not to leave him. She stayed but she began to put poison in his food. It was really sad.”</p><p>Selim stared at his friend during her recalling of her mother, stuttering as he attempted to figure out how to respond.</p><p>“Well, good to know.” He finally responded after a good bit, looking down at the ground.</p><p>“Yeah, but she’s gone now. I’m not sure where she went. I woke up one day and she was gone.” Nina explained, as she started standing up, pulling Selim up by the back of his shirt as he failed to realize that she was going elsewhere.</p><p>“You could have just told me you were leaving. I could have gotten up on my own.” Selim growled, eye purple.</p><p>“Just come on.” Nina gestured for him to follow her.</p><p> </p><p>Ling and Lan Fan were still looking for Mei, picking Greg up on the way. When they finally found her, she was with Greg’s sibling Evan, like she had been for the past few days. The two were still messing with a sleeping Sampson, only this time they were just filling up cups and pouring them on his head. Xiao Mei was sitting atop Mei’s head, looking like she found this amusing.</p><p>“Oh, there you are.” Ling slowed to a stop as he spotted his half sister as Lan Fan dropped down from the trees. “We’re leaving today so I need you to stay with Lan Fan and I.”</p><p>“Okay. Bye Evan!” Mei stood up and waved to her new friend as she jumped over Sampson and ran over to Ling. Greg left their group as Mei entered it, sitting down next to his two younger siblings.</p><p>“Oh, hey Greg. Are you going to get the others?” Evan continued pouring water on their brother’s face without looking up at Greg.</p><p>“Yeah, I should probably do that, huh.” Greg stood back up and wandered off, looking for his 3 remaining siblings.</p><p>Lucy and Gabriel were easy to find, as they were also at the beach. Greg informed them that he was gathering them in preparation to go home, before setting off to find Selim and Nina.</p><p>Finding the dirt with the hole in it, (by tripping on it) Greg figured the two were nearby, and started calling for them, eventually getting an annoyed yell back from his brother. Approaching the voice, he told them to follow him, and he led them back to the beach.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, two of the teachers were driving to the drop off/pickup spot so that they could greet the students alongside their parents.</p><p>Roy and Riza were driving together, while Pinako, Fu, Shou, and King were in their own vehicles.</p><p>Izumi and Sig were already there waiting for them, while the boat carrying the kids was approaching.</p><p>Once the kids were off, each one was accounted for and sent over to their parents or guardians.</p><p>Ed, Al, and Winry paused as they walked past Roy and Riza, the teachers greeting them as the kids exchanged glances. They looked up at them, before Ed spoke.</p><p>“Hawkeye, what happened to your face?” The kid had no hesitation.</p><p>“Well, I was in a fight.” That was kinda true.</p><p>“A fight? Where?” Ed continued his questions.</p><p>“In a bar. Hawkeye was punched in the nose.” Roy answered before Riza could.</p><p>“Were you guys drunk?” </p><p>“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Hawkeye glared at him, and Hayate, who was on a leash next to her, growled at him.</p><p>“I’m going, I’m going.”</p><p>“See you next week!” Winry called out as they entered her grandmother’s car, and the two teachers waved back.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Rest.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sleeping time.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, I finally got some free time.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ed was lying in his bed for the first time in weeks, having spent the day not really doing much. He, along with Winry and Al, talked about what they did to Winry’s grandmother, before he went upstairs to remind himself what his room had looked like. Al was sitting on his bed, petting Winry’s dog, calling her a “good girl” and such. He assumed Winry was either in her room, or still downstairs.</p><p>School was starting back up tomorrow, and he knew he had a few questions, particularly to Mustang and Hawkeye. Mustang had apparently gotten drunk, engaged in a bar fight, and somehow Hawkeye’s nose had gotten broken.</p><p>Ed shifted in his bed, feeling uncomfortable with his automail. He had brought up this issue back on the island, but unfortunately there was nothing Winry could do. He had to wait til they were home, and then the next day as Winry didn’t get much sleep, and didn’t want to do something incorrectly to his automail.</p><p>“Who’s a good girl? You are!” The sound of his brother’s praise was the only sound in the room, other than Den’s claws clicking on the floor. Ed had simply watched the two, feeling tired but unable to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, the Xingese family were sitting around the table, discussing with Fu what they had done while they were gone. Mei had slipped out not too long ago, to do the same but with her alley friend Scar. Her panda sat on Scar’s knee, while the man pet her, as he had finally worked up the courage to ask the 6th grader if he could do so.</p><p>Back inside, Ling and Lan Fan had been talking to each other after Fu had gone to bed, eating snacks that had been left around the house. Lan Fan’s arm had also needed a check, so she kept it still on the table.</p><p>Mei came inside when it got dark, her panda curled up asleep on her head. The teens watched her go to her room, none of them speaking to each other. They didn’t really need to.</p><p> </p><p>In the Bradley household, King was in his chair as usual, having spent the day getting complaints from his younger siblings about how they cleaned their rooms or fixed up their couch beds. He didn’t care, and pretty much ignored them, choosing to read the paper instead. All of the Bradleys were in their rooms, aside from King, who was in the living room. Selim was asleep, so the room was dimly illuminated with a lamp so that King could read and not bother his brother. His patch was rather lazily thrown on the table beside the couch, halfway hanging off.</p><p>Nina had gone home with Selim, curled up asleep on the floor. She didn’t mind, not really surprised when she left the room and came back to find her friend already asleep on the couch, blanket tossed over him. King would drop Nina off at her father’s in the morning, and Nina had already informed Shou that she would be staying the night with Selim.</p><p> </p><p>Riza and Roy were once again sleeping in the same house, though this time it had been Roy’s. They had been spending the day preparing themselves to be ready to teach the students again, making sure everything was in order. Riza, of course, had her lessons ready since the day the kids left, while Roy did… not. He had scrambled to get his things ready with the help of Riza, who had teased him on procrastinating once more.</p><p>Hayate was excited to see the kids again, similar to Den, and wouldn’t stop barking at the two as they had wandered around the house.</p><p> </p><p>Speaking of Den, back at Rockbell Mechanics, Den was now asleep on Ed’s bed, while Ed himself was still awake, watching the dog. Al had also gone to bed, facing away from his brother, while the faint light in the hallway told Ed that Winry was still awake as well.</p><p>Sighing, he slid out of bed, slowly as to not wake Winry’s dog, and crept into the hall to gently knock on Winry’s door. </p><p>She opened it not long after, sounding like she nearly tripped on something before arriving at the door.</p><p>“Oh, hey Ed.” He could tell that Winry was tired, but she was both still awake, and looking as if she had been planning some automail adjustments.</p><p>“Winry, why are you still awake? It’s midnight.” He was awake too, but it’s not like he wanted to admit it. Besides, this was about Winry, not him, so that fact didn’t really matter.</p><p>“I was doing some quick planning for your automail.” She responded, glancing away from Ed and into her room like something had started moving in there.</p><p>“Go to sleep. You can deal with it tomorrow.” Ed was about to walk off without getting a response, but paused, looking into his and Al’s room before turning back to Winry. “Your dog is asleep in my bed.” </p><p>Winry looked back at him, having had turned around to turn off her lamp before Ed had spoken.</p><p>“Is she? I was wondering where she had gone off to. Oh well, she can sleep in there tonight. I don’t want to wake her up if she’s comfortable.”</p><p>Ed nodded, still standing in the same position, giving a nod. “Oh, and don’t worry, Al gave her plenty of pets when she came in earlier. I’m surprised she’s not asleep in his bed.”</p><p>Winry chuckled, wishing Ed and the sleeping Al a goodnight, before going to sleep herself.</p><p>Ed tried to enter his bed as carefully as he had left, but failed, waking Den up, who waited until Ed was comfortable before she had stood up and layed on top of him. The soft fur and gentle breathing soon sent Ed to bed as well.</p>
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